VETERAN Horsham greyhound Paraphernalia continued his outstanding year at Tara Raceway on Sunday when winning a keenly-contested 512-metre Metal Worx Iron Dog final.
Trained by Jeff Guy, the 4½-year-old son of Big Daddy Cool and Scrappy Coco went into the final as second highest point scorer after a second placing over 600 metres and a 400 metre win last week.
Chasing back-to-back Iron Dog titles, Paraphernalia stalked the speedy Haddi Bale until the home turn where he railed through to take the lead and then held off a fast finishing Noosa Parade and Aeroplane Mo who finished strongly down the middle of the track.
The win was the fawn dog’s ninth at Tara Raceway this year, two more than any other greyhound and with 40 points he now issues a strong challenge for Greyhound of the Year honours.
Overall, Paraphernalia – the only greyhound this year to reach both the Mount Gambier Cup and Anniversary Cup finals – has now raced on 125 occasions for 32 wins and 29 minor placings.
And speaking at the Iron Dog presentation, Guy did not try and hide his feelings for the dog that in late 2016 broke the Tara Raceway 600-metre record and then lowered it again eight months later.
“I just love him,” he said.
Paraphernalia will now return to Tara Raceway on Sunday for the Mount Gambier division of the SA Country Cup after having represented the club last year with Colden Girl in the final at Angle Park on Adelaide Cup night.
Smart Knocka Blitzes fancied rivals
THE SA Derby has always been a tough race to win, even back in 1971 when the inaugural classic was run at Strathalbyn and won by the Whyalla young-gun North Kinta.
These days, with the Derby carrying Group status and a $25,000 first prize, it is little wonder the age-restricted series for male greyhounds also attracts top young performers from interstate, in particular Victoria.
Mount Gambier’s leading trainer Tracie Price – after his recent Peter Rocket Winter Classic winner Smart Knocka impressed with a sub-30 seconds win at Angle Park 12 days ago – then decided his September 2016 whelping warranted a crack at Group 3 glory.
The 512-metre BGC Industrial Cleaning Supplies SA Derby was off to a flying start at Angle Park last Thursday night when Victorian greyhound Nervous An Weird – already a winner of more than $30,000 – won the first heat in a flying 29.59 seconds for Cranbourne trainer Ashlee Terry.
Then it was Victorian Grey Ghost – trained at Anakie by Jeff Britton – and Ashton Kimetto – a Group 3 winner trained by Pearcedale’s Seona Thompson – who fought out the second heat which was won in 29.64 seconds.
By the time the third and final heat of the Derby came around, it did appear as though a clean sweep for Victorian greyhounds was on the cards.
Anakie trainer Angela Langton’s Blue Shadows was a long odds-on favourite on the strength of some quick wins at Sandown Park.
Smart Knocka, on the other hand, was one of the rank outsiders at $14, although he looked anything but a longshot as he charged out of the first turn in front.
And that is where he stayed, his more-fancied rivals languishing at the rear as he careered away to a 5¾ length win in 29.64 seconds.
The blue youngster, by Knocka Norris out of 16-race winner Who’s Doing What, was bred by Price who races Smart Knocka in partnership with WA father and son team Peter and Andrew Haines, also owners of the dam.
Who’s Doing What – who traces a long way back on her dam’s side to Bulwark, one of Australia’s greatest and fastest dogs – will be mated with Fernando Bale next week.
Her litter sisters Star Recall (40 wins and $445,000 in stakemoney) and High Recall (12, $50,000) have already been mated with the boom sire that currently stands at a fee of $8800.
Price, in bed by 4.30am on Friday, looked surprising fresh a few hours later at his Compton kennels as he proudly showed off the laid back Smart Knocka who also did not seem any the worse for wear.
He has now raced on seven occasions for five wins, his trainer saying Smart Knocka did not really break-in any quicker than the rest of the litter.
“Encouraging breaking-in assessments are nice but they do not always mean much,” Price said.
“I have had dogs broken-in with outstanding reports that have not really reached great heights.
“Actually, it was not until I ran him as an unnamed youngster over 512 metres on a trial morning at Tara Raceway and he clocked 29.96 seconds, that I thought I might have something here.”
For the 54-year-old Price, whose first recollection of greyhounds goes back to when he was eight years old and a brood bitch called Russell’s Girl (Nulla View x Keymac), a win in the SA Derby will give him his biggest success in 30 years of training.
“Probably two of my better wins so far have been a Stan Lake Memorial at Warrnambool and the 2013 SA Country Cup with Moorak Hope at Gawler,” he said.
As far as Price was concerned, last Thursday at Angle Park was a night when reputations counted for nothing.
And it was also the night Smart Knocka struck a blow for South East greyhound racing, putting himself in the mix for success in the time-honoured classic, perhaps even more so after drawing box one in this Thursday night’s final.
