Puppies coming out on parade Nominations for Dapto's annual Puppy Auction have opened and the 14th offering of the $75,000-to-the-winner series has, again, been tweaked by the progressive club. Traditionally held in the first week of May, the auction is the largest in the country and the 520m race series attached is also the richest. In 2010, Lithgow, Goulburn and Wagga had auction preludes added to their calendars and last year Grafton was added to the mix. While graduates of the 2013 draft have had the Wagga and Grafton legs deleted, Maitland has been added. "We have had great support from owners and trainers in the Hunter Valley and it was the right thing to do to add the Maitland leg," Dapto secretary manager Paul Mack said. Goulburn's series is over 457m and I expect Maitland's will be conducted over 450m in the weeks leading into our December 2014 feature. Last month, Sheikha snared the group 1 Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park. The classy black bitch was sold for $3200 at the 2011 sale and, before Saturday night's heats of the Australian Cup at The Meadows, had earnings of nearly $118,000. Other 2011 graduates include Magic Fancy ($97,995), last week's group 1 National Futurity placegetter Winsome Charlee ($42,185) and Dark Assassin ($40,370). The auction provides an excellent entry point for newcomers to greyhound racing. "There are a number of pups catalogued each year which the owners 'buy back' but that is just the nature of these incentive-based races," Mack said. Some years back, the club made the bold move to purchase 10 to 12 pups in the weeks leading into the May auction and offer them without the prospect of being 'bought back' . . . and that's been successful. Sheikha was one of the pups we secured from Dave Robartson in 2011 and he looked after her for us until the last days before the auction. Around 300 pups will go under the hammer on May 5 from 9am.