Fast running out of ideas on how to get rookie racer Red Jaffa to jump quicker from the boxes, Oakman fell back on the words of Cummings to find a remedy.

Oakman’s husband and fellow-trainer Rod Oakman yesterday recalled how the Cups King had indirectly influenced Red Jaffa’s training routine with blistering results.

“In one of Bart Cummings books he says he was always prepared to ‘try anything’,” Oakman said yesterday.

“This led Sandra and I to think about things she could do with Red Jaffa.

“We came up the plan of putting some meat in front of the box and letting her get at it.

“Greyhounds love their food and Red Jaffa just responded.”

The Oakman’s novel approach paid its first dividend when Red Jaffa bolted away with the Tasty Tucker Maiden (400m) at the Wagga TAB meeting on Sunday.

Showing no sign of her previous starting box

terrors, Red Jaffa began like a shot and led throughout for a dynamic 6¾ lengths victory in a super-slick 22.94 seconds, clearly the fastest 400m time of the meeting.

In comparison, up-and- coming speedster Pearl’s Choice romped home on Sunday in 23.44 seconds and experienced sprinters Crazy Carrie and Cinnamon Sugar clocked 23.26 and 23.52 respectively.

Rod Oakman yesterday admitted the quality of Red Jaffa’s performance had been no surprise to his wife.

“Sandra has always said she (Red Jaffa) is a good young dog,” Oakman said.

“She (Red Jaffa) really showed it on Sunday.

“The time was really quick and the track wasn’t particularly fast.”

For Red Jaffa, Sunday’s turnaround was dramatic as she had been placed only twice in six previous career starts.

However, the rising star is finally catching her to the racetrack exploits her of siblings, which include recent Wentworth Park winner Darling Ava.

“She (Red Jaffa) could go a long way,” Oakman said.

Yass owner-trainer Melissa Griffin, meantime, struck for a winning double at her first trip to Wagga on Sunday.

Wasting no time in making her mark, Griffin won the opening race with Crazy Carrie and followed up with Cinnamon Sugar’s victory five races later.

The former elite swimmer also made it a remarkable first-up treble when Boltless finished a luckless second in the third heat of the Sky Viewers Dash (320m) on Sunday.

Boltless will now contest the Sky Viewers Dash final (320m) on Sunday and will be one of the strong favourites.