Who will do the ‘straight-talking’ at Healesville on Sunday?

Two enthralling Victorian Straight Track Championship heats (350m) highlight the program – Heat 1 (Race 3, 11.09am) and Heat 2 (Race 4, 11.25am).

To get ‘straight to the point’, one greyhound who is ‘talking the talk’ at the picturesque Yarra Valley venue is Unleash Collinda.

Trained by Jason Thompson, Unleash Collinda is a dual track record holder at Healesville – 16.057sec (300m) and 18.641sec (350m) on December 11 last year and February 19 this year respectively.

Unleash Collinda – the ‘Apollo’ of straight track racing – didn’t get the chance to release his ‘Golden Bow’ in The ARROW (350m) match race series after it was cancelled last Sunday.

But regardless, Thompson is ‘pulling back the string’ with Unleash Collinda (Box 4), who emerges as an ‘Achilles heel’ for his rivals in Heat 2.

“It’s only a field of five and he’s got a vacant box either side of him, so he’ll get room to move.”

“Missing The ARROW was disappointing but hasn’t hindered his preparation,” Thompson said. “He’s 100 per cent ready to go.”

And Thompson isn’t concerned with Unleash Collinda landing the ‘blue’ trap.

“It doesn’t really matter where you draw up the straight, as long as you come out alright. It’s only a field of five and he’s got a vacant box either side of him, so he’ll get room to move.”

Thompson says, “everyone expects Unleash Collinda to break a track record every time he races, but the reality is it’s not going to happen”. “We’re happy with him and that’s all that matters.”

Owned and bred by Stephanie Tyler, Unleash Collinda (Apr ’20 Beast Unleashed x Audacious Bell) enters the series in sensational form.

He’s won 10 of his past 12 starts and his strike rate over 350m at Healesville is a remarkable – 12 starts for 10 wins at 83%.

In all, Unleash Collinda – a dual G2 runner-up (this year’s Shepparton Cup and Ballarat Cup) and a finalist in last year’s G2 Healesville Cup – has won 31 races, with eight seconds and two thirds, from 48 starts.

Last week, Unleash Collinda defeated the Daniel Gibbons-trained Quinlan Bale (last year’s Victorian Straight Track Championship winner) and the Jeff Britton-trained That’s Ivy’s in a Free For All (350m) at Healesville. He clocked 18.83sec.

Ironically, Quinlan Bale (Box 6) and That’s Ivy’s (Box 8) will again be rivals this Sunday. Gibbons and Britton also have Kelsey Bale (Box 8) and Cosmic Sin (Box 1) respectively in Heat 1

A fortnight ago, Unleash Collinda finished second to another straight track star – Maybe Yesterday – in a near-record 18.70sec in the Healesville Members Trophy final.

Trained by Andrew Paraskevas, Maybe Yesterday (Box 1) – who is 17 from 26, including eight of his past nine, and five from nine over 350m at Healesville – is also an opponent on the weekend.

WATCH: UNLEASH COLLINDA (B8) defeats QUINLAN BALE (B6) and THAT’S IVY’S (B2) in a slick 18.83sec last week at Healesville. The trio meet again on Sunday.

An intriguing entrant in the series is the Craig Burns-trained Tinker Norm (Box 6) – 14 from 36, and undefeated from two starts over 350m at Healesville – who will contest Heat 1.

Tinker Norm ran a ‘bottler’, finishing second to boom NZ import Postman Pat – also trained by Jason Thompson – in the Victorian National Sprint final at The Meadows on Thursday night.

The only other heat runners are the Matt Johnson-trained Cybertruck (Box 2) – 19 from 36, including 11 of his past 17 – in Heat 1 and the Brian Hodgson-trained Major Bomber – two from 33 – in Heat 2.

The $10,000 to-the-winner Victorian Straight Track Championship final will be conducted on Sunday, August 20.

PAWNOTE: The Victorian Straight Track Championship series kicks off a sizzling straight track ‘soiree’ comprising the G3 National Straight Track Championship (August 26), also at Healesville, followed by the G2 Healesville Cup (September 10).