Flying Pie, a giveaway greyhound, successfully went ‘panning for gold’ in today’s Mark Hughes Foundation The Prospector heats (425m) at Bendigo.

 And now a $15,000 ‘nugget’ awaits him in the final next Friday.

 Trained at Pakenham by ‘one-eyed’ Collingwood supporter Brad Sands (main pic), Flying Pie ($2.70F) clocked a flying 23.66sec (Best) win in heat one. It was his fifth win from 11 starts.

 Flying Pie – aka “Daicos” – was to ‘uphold the Magpies name’ with a brilliant frontrunning effort. Not dissimilar to AFL club Collingwood, which held on by 11pts to defeat the GWS Giants at the MCG a few hours later.

 It was a big day for Sands and his family who unexpectedly lost their kennel star, Mighty Pie, in April. Sands was also made redundant from Telstra in November 2020 – so times have been tough!

 Flying Pie was recently third in the Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Short Course final at Ballarat before dead-heating for second in the Healesville Puppy Championship final.

Sands has previously said Flying Pie is “an absolute gentleman in the kennel and never barks”, adding “he’s placid and loves a pat; I wish I had 10 of him”.

Meanwhile, in the second heat, Fire Hose ($1.40F) – prepared at Sale by Christopher Tilley  – semaphored a handy 24.07sec victory. It was his fifth win from 10 starts and he’s now three from four on this track/distance with a 23.72sec PB.

Fire Hose was a recent Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Sprinter finalist at Ballarat.

Tilley will have two finalists as Always A Thrill, a litter brother of Fire Hose, finished third in heat one.

Two heats of the Beanie For Brain Cancer Bendigo Roses (425m) were also decided on the fixture.

Fire Hose and Christopher Tilley after his 24.07sec The Prospector heat win.

Blueblood Aston Reina ($1.90F) revealed she’s inherited the family ability with a 24.01sec win in heat one.

Trained at Longlea by Ian Garland, Aston Reina notched her fourth win from 16 starts.

A recent Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Sprinter finalist, Aston Reina is a younger half-sister of retired superstar Aston Rupee whose litter sister, Aston Flame – also prepared by Garland – contested last year’s Bendigo Roses final.

Heat two was taken out by Blackpool Dill – trained at Lara by Renee Kenyon – in 24.01sec, only .002 slower than Aston Reina. It was her third win from nine starts.

The Bendigo Roses also carries a $15,000 first prize.

WATCH: FLYING PIE (B2) wears the ‘black and white’ rug with distinction, setting the time standard (23.66sec) in The Prospector heats.