That was the case on Thursday afternoon when Black Hill trainer Marian Anderson produced Adios Amigo for the Kirkwood Produce Maiden over 400 metres.

On the back of his unlucky first start at Maitland a week earlier punters showed little interest in the son El Grand Senor and Hail Queenie and sent him to the boxes as a $12.20 chance.

Anyone who took the time to study the form guide a little deeper, and check the stewards report, would have discovered that Adios Amigos was badly checked in his first start and didn’t have much luck at all.

Now factor in that he is a striking 35.3 kilogram blue dog by one of of Australia’s leading sires and out of one of the best producing bitches in the country and it’s no wonder he looked all over a winner when Anderson paraded him last Thursday afternoon.

I even said as much to Anderson before the race and wished her luck.

In this race Adios Amigo gained a clear run from box five and powered away on the bend to win in 22.81 seconds from Chad Garrard’s Fletch Is Flying and Denis Solomon’s Eagle Raider.

Hail Queenie has proven to be a magnificent brood bitch for Noel and Fay Trowbridge of East Maitland and it is wonderful to see her progeny doing well at Maitland.

Hugo Linx continued his unbeaten run to shape as the early favourite for the final of Greta GBOTA Winter Sprint over 450 metres at Maitland this Thursday.

Owned by the Two Up Two Down syndicate and trained at Clarence Town by Natasha Benhard, Hugo Linx has shown he is a dog with great talent as the fastest of six heat winners last week.

The son of El Grand Senor and Blow The Doh franked his maiden win from two weeks earlier when he was quickly away from box six and won his heat in a slick 25.21s by 11 lengths over the Helen Rimmer-trained White Magic Opal (25.98s).

The other heat winners through to the final are Shayna Powers (25.39s) for Anthony Duggan, Tough Times (25.87s) for Jill Harper, Mighty Tegan (25.45s) for Lewis Galea, Pursayis (25.56s) for Cheryl Betts and Totolo (25.33s) for Chrystal Hensing.

The two fastest second placegetters, Mephitidae for Anthony Duggan and Splendiferous (25.42s) for Glenn Smith, will also contest Thursday’s $1700-to-the-winner final.

The drive back to Port Macquarie was a happy one for trainer Steven Baker after Chase Delaney won the Telarah Remember When 5th grade final over 400 metres.

The 22.53s victory brought up four wins on the trot for the son of Maitland Gold Cup winner Paw Licking and Sheeza Delaney and took his career tally to eight wins and two minors from 15 starts.

Chase Delaney brought good country form to Maitland and on the back of Thursday’s commanding win we’re likely to see more of him here in the future.

Chase Delaney clocked 22.53s to beat the Raymond Welsh-trained True Dream by two and a quarter lengths.

Maitland will host heats of the Ladbrokes Monthly Medal for maiden dogs over 450m on Thursday.

The monthly jackpot is already at $2200 and this will take the purse for the final to more than $3000.