By David Lewis
FOR Edenhope owned and trained greyhound Nero Valentino a fair bit has happened since he won a maiden 400-metre event at Tara Raceway back in July 2021 as a $30 chance when being trained by Captain Abbott.
Fast forward close to 12 months after that tidy win in 23.39 seconds, along with eight further wins and Nero Valentino’s owners, Gary and Phil Micallef, had been looking to move-on the son of Fernando Bale and Sweet Barbados.
But Abbott’s partner, Kerry Lucy Hawker – well, that’s how the race book lists her – wasn’t too keen on the black dog going anywhere. “The brothers had been prepared to sell for $2000 and I thought that made him a reasonable buy,” she said.
With Nero Valentino so far chalking up a further 11 wins for his new trainer, Hawker has been having the time of her life.
As have some of the kids who frequent Tara Raceway on a regular basis with their parents.
“I really enjoy it when the kids come up after I’ve brought back a winner and want to pat the dogs and have their photographs taken,” Hawker said.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to see for themselves just what a lovely animal the greyhound really is.”
“And some of the kids have actually taken it a step further.
“Kaia and Hadlie, daughters of Dave Green, who not so long ago gained a licence to handle greyhounds at the track, help us out after the race meetings when we’re loading up.”
With 57 greyhounds at the Cadillac Racing kennels, Abbott and Hawker certainly have their hands full.
But it has been a good start to the year – Abbott sitting in second spot behind Tracie Price with 44 points in the Ian Badger Leading Trainer award.
Not to be outdone, Hawker, who finished in ninth spot overall on the 2022 leading trainers’ list, has accumulated 41 points this year and is in third spot.
Nero Valentino, fourth in last year’s Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year behind Departure Gate, has started off this year well with two wins and a second placing at Tara Raceway.
He is currently sharing second position behind Donny Rocks.
Abbott and Hawker also flew the flag at last Thursday’s Tara Raceway Australia Day meeting when Cadillac Suh, Kerry’s Cadillac, Another Cadillac and Cadillac Patch were successful.
Training honours for the day went the way of the Langhorne Creek-based Tony Hinrichsen who was successful with Correlate, Diamond Carat and Loving The Cash.
His last treble at the local track had been on September 29 last year when he won with Correlate, White Hulk and Shintaro Fury.
