Two meetings into a new racing era on the state-of-the-art track at Horsham Greyhound Racing Club and the surface has received nothing but praise from participants, giving every dog a genuine chance.
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Though Wimmera and Grampians trainers had to wait until the last race to record a victory when Peter Franklin’s Future Past led all the way for a comfortable win over 410m, many others performed admirably through the night on Tuesday.
Franklin trains from his home in Moyston, on the eastern side of the Grampians, and is renowned for the way he presents his dogs. He always seems to get the best out of them, which sees him regularly in the winner’s circle.
Another to get the most out of sometimes giveaway greyhounds is Horsham trainer Ron Rowe, who tasted success on opening night. On Tuesday, his only other dog Scarlett Blu Boy finished third in a heat of the Restricted (1-4 wins) series to make the final next Tuesday as the only local representative.
From a punting tale, it paid to follow greyhounds on Tuesday that raced at the track on opening night. The added experience gave them a clear edge on their rivals and a perfect example was Peter Crawley (Mortlake), who was a regular visitor to the old track who trained a race to race double with Zuma Creek and Southwood Trump at the juicy odds of $9.50 and $57.20. In the first few weeks of racing, it may prove lucrative to follow those who have had a look around the course.
Tomorrow night, the club hosts a 12-race twilight meeting beginning at 5.17pm. Punters and spectators can expect an awesome night on the track. Seven heats of a Grade 5 410m are scattered with top quality race dogs up against locals with runs on the board. But the undoubted highlight will be race 8, the Wimmera Aquatrail Mixed Grade 4/5 over the cup distance of 485m. The Fullerton family from Red Cliffs will come with their rising superstar Jimmy Newob, looking to build on his record of 12 wins and seven seconds in 22 starts and almost $100,000 in prizemoney.
Barry, wife Jenny and daughter Melissa are considered locals, even though they reside three hours away, as Horsham is their closest track and there was barely a meeting on the old course without them present. They won’t have it all their own way on Saturday, as the field includes Nangar Rock from the goliath team of Anthony Azzopardi and litter mate Nangar Range for Greg Schofield, both group performed greyhounds. Squeezed in the middle of the field are also last start Horsham winner, Zipping Inglis for young Swan Hill trainer, Matt Lanigan and Beulah trained Glitterbug for Garry George.