Cowra trainer Rod McDonald finished 2019 with a record 117 wins.
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It was McDonald's best season to date in a career which has included a Golden Easter Egg Group 1 winner and 801 winners dating back to the year 2000 when he trained four winners from just 20 starters.
In 2019 the Dana Lodge Kennel had 769 starters for 117 winners and 246 placings for a win strike rate of 15.2 per cent.
In percentage terms the return was much better than in the previous season when Dana Lodge sent around 965 starters for 115 winners, 144 second placegetters and 160 third placegetters.
The kennel returned home from Wagga Wagga last Friday with two more winners to start off the 2020 year with wins to the Brett and Cameron Picker owner Bolt Along and Getalong Dana.
Bolt Along's win was it's seconds from 42 starts.
The son of Dyna Villa and Dana Nee came with a magnificent run after being fairly away from box one, making ground along the rail and then coming around the leaders on the turn to score by two lengths in the Thank You Bushfire Volunteers Stakes for Grade 5 dogs over 320 metres.
Bolt Along's win was the second of a winning double for McDonald and the Pickers after Getalong Dana took out the Simaroo Lodge Stakes for Grade 4/5 over 320 metres earlier in the day.
It was win number 13 from 81 starts taking Getalong Dana's career prizemoney to more than $16,000.
Having his first start since July last year Getalong Dana jumped from box 5 on terms with the field before crossing to the rails and leading.
He surrendered that position to Whatta Lady which weakened in the run to the line to give Getalong Dana a half length win returning $7.50 on the NSW TAB.
McDonald has six dogs accepted at Goulburn today, including Getalong Dana and Bolt Along.
117 winners, 123 seconds, 123 thirds, 769 starters, win % 15.2, place % 47.2
- Thedogs.com.au
Dana Zibara goes around in the first event at just its third start hoping to improve on its last start second at Wagga on Friday.
In the third McDonald has Hide The Kitty, the veteran of 117 starts, looking to add to its tally of 14 wins and more than $18,000 in prizemoney.
Dana Gem and Dana Ace make up the remainder of the team with Dana Gem needing to improve on a recent run of outs and Dana Ace dropping in class from a last start fourth to Bluestone Sophie at Wentworth Park last week.
