Bentley Keeping made it three in a row at Maitland when he was first home in the 400 metre sprint last Thursday afternoon and the $4.50 second elect held on to beat his kennel mate and $2.80 race favourite Caitlyn Keeping by a length in 22.48 seconds.

Punters sent Caitlyn Keeping to the boxes as the race favourite after the daughter of Fabregas and Naomi Keeping won her heat from box seven a week earlier in a slick 22.28s.

After drawing box eight for the final many thought Caitlyn Keeping would sweep around the field from box eight and prove too fast in the run to the line.

Bentley Keeping, a son of Barcia Bale and Indigo Gem, worked hard from box five and pulled away in the final stages to beat Caitlyn Keeping with Esther’s Bella third for Peter Mattress.

Roberts is an occasional visitor to Maitland and punters would be wise to take note that her runners have a pretty good strike rate on the big one-turn Maitland track.

It was nice to see Diddy Don return to the winner’s circle for Bishops Bridge trainer Col Kneeshaw on Thursday afternoon.

The son of Lochinvar Marlow and Stratavon Did showed great early promise when he won his first three starts at Maitland but lost his early zip during March, April and May.

Diddy Don jumped well from box seven and was able to work his way into third spot on the corner before railing under the leaders and going to beat Rob Tyler’s Zipping Clare by a length in 22.72s with Garry Streatfield’s Saga Noren third.

Singleton trainer Graeme Barnett appears to have a talented distance bitch in the making with a daughter of Fabregas and Brook’s Doll called Bedazzled.

Bedazzled opened her account with two slick 515m wins at The Gardens in April and after a string of four placings bounced back with an impressive 565m win at Maitland on Thursday in 31.70s.

The black bitch bounced to the lead from box two and never looked in danger as she held of Fred Goodall’s Miss Pinafore and Lewis Galea’s Big Ten Four.

Barnett races Bedazzled for the Run The World syndicate and on that form they should have a lot of fun with her.

East Maitland owner, trainer and breeder Ken Lean may not have a runner in the Ladbrokes Pathways Final over 450m at Maitland on Thursday but he will be watching the race with great interest.

Spookie Dynamic, one of two runners in the final for Grafton trainer Reg Gardoll, is a son of his stud dog Keybow and Zipping Yoko. 

Keybow was a multiple group 1 champion with blistering early speed and strong finish - traits he appears to have passed on to his offspring.

Spookie Dynamic finished second from box five in his heat behind Blazing Storm last Tuesday night and will be hard to beat if he gains an inside draw for the final.

He goes into the final with six wins and five placings from 16 starts with wins at Albion Park, Lismore and Grafton.

The other finalists are Zipping Sassy, Sketchy Fabio, Blazing Storm, Keyed In, Ogedei Star, Knockout Hero and In the Que.