If his recent success is anything to go by, Manilla trainer Edgar Burge might be inclined to take more regular stints away from the track.

Burge made a sensational return after a six-month sabbatical away from racing, with his new dog Crack the Code winning last Saturday’s Namoi Valley Independent Maiden Series final in Gunnedah.

“He had been out for a while,” Gunnedah Greyhound Racing Club president Geoff Rose said.

“He’d been off the (racing) scene for about six months.”

Crack the Code stopped the clock in a time of 20.30 over the 347-metre distance, followed by Cherie Rosier’s  Yellow Oak from Gunnedah in second. Third home, two lengths back was Barry Evans’ Black Driftwood.

Rosiers’ Road Detour, which finished strongly in the heats, was next best in fourth.

Bindigo Lass, trained by Bryan and June Garland out of Gunnedah, which was a reserve for the final got her own back with a win in the race one maiden.

Elsewhere around the traps, Gunnedah’s Tyler Fleming scored a well deserved victory last weekend with Expectin’ To Fly securing her first career win in six starts.

Fellow Gunnedah trainer Lisa Silver scored a winning double with her dogs, Nevaeh Boy, top placed in the 347m GBOTA Maiden and favourite Lashay Rose won the grade 4/5, race six, over the 512m distance.

Mr Riley was at his brilliant best for Curlewis trainer Kevin Sills, winning the 440m Lure Driver Stakes.

He stopped the clock in a time of 25.05, not far off his record for that distance.

But nothing could separate the next two dogs home, Yo Cool Maxie and Swift Indian, who finished exactly 25.25 in a dead heat for the second.

Perhaps the most dedicated win of the day goes to the trainer who travelled from Cairns. 

“He was driving down to see a bloke about a dog and thought he’d bring his other dogs along with him,” Rose said of North Queensland visitor.

“He couldn’t praise the track enough.