Veteran's new for coveted Silver Collar

A greyhound capable of contesting the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar has to be tough so Shining Comet is truly a canine of steel.

Trained by the appropriately-named Te Awamutu mentor, Wayne Steele, the veteran stayer will line up in the Commercial Plumbing-sponsored 779m gut-buster for the third consecutive time at Manukau this evening.

Few greyhounds race beyond five years of age, and certainly not at group one level, but Shining Comet defies convention and she can snatch a slice of the $40,000 stake.

"She's kept fairly sound her whole career and that's given her longevity," Steele said after Shining Comet finished second in a qualifying heat for the race last Friday.

Two years ago she was checked and fell at the first bend in the final after dashing into second place in the qualifier. In 2005 she was a game fourth after fortuitously making the final field courtesy of a scratching.

"I don't think she can win this year but second or third would be nice," Steele said. "It would've been good to draw closer to the rail but it doesn't really matter."

There are two other survivors from last season's edition of the Collar - winner, Rivette Reason, and runner-up, Prince Toshack.

Rivette Reason found the line well when third in her heat last week out of box eight, the draw from which she was victorious 12 months back. She has drawn the same alley for tonight's final.

Prince Toshack was purchased for a significant sum by Arch Lawrence after the 2005 race and has won three times at group one level since for his Cambridge owner and trainer.

Lawrence rated the dog a little disappointing when fourth in his heat last Thursday but conceded that he covered a lot of ground and is a strong winning chance with a kinder run. Lawrence also lines up Thrilling Match in a bid to claim the race he'd most like to win above all others.

Joint pre-post favourites are the two heat winners Kinda Devilish and Thrilling May who are both owned by Gary Harding.

He trains the former from his Tirau base while Karen Walsh prepares the latter from the same establishment.

Harding raced and trained the 2004 winner Mcdeebee and owned the runner-up Sly Park. A repeat of that feat would not be a surprise.

The only South Island finalist is the wide-running Rubble who will seek to give leading trainer John McInerney his first Silver Collar success. The Central Districts will be represented by Dinah Washington for experienced breeder and trainer Owen Marron. of Masterton.

The winner of the 36th running of the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar will have to be every bit as tough as the previous 35.