Trainer Jason Dunn and breeder/owner Michael Cox have formed a strong, successful racing association for a number of years.
Pictured: Granny Magnet claiming his strong Ascot Park NZRS Novice victory (pic Dave Robbie)
Cox has bred numerous smart litters. More recently he has enjoyed considerable success with progeny from his brood bitch Molly Paisley who has whelped a number of smart greyhounds.
Quality greyhounds like Dirk The Jerk, Fireman’s Galaxy and Born To Boom readily spring to mind. Her latest litter, sired by Cosmic Rumble, looks pretty handy types. For example Ketchikan Blue clocked the fastest (26.12s) 457m heat time for the Southland Club hosted $7,000 NZRS Novice final that was decided on Tuesday for Dunn and Cox.
He was an injury related withdrawal prior to the box draw being completed. Litter brother and kennelmate Granny Magnet was in the drawn field. Move forward to the final and we saw the black and white racing vest worn by Granny Magnet being the last to exit from the Ascot Park 457m traps.
Winning the break from the middle was Southern Honey (Yella Mustard – Stock Taker) for local conditioner Roy Hamilton. She bravely stuck to her task all the way. Race favourite Trumped (Barcia Bale – Jinja Power) was slow from trap eight for Dave and Jean Fahey, however he quickly pushed forward to join kennelmate Opawa Tab (Fabregas – Token Kay) to get handy going into the big, sweeping bend. Another from the kennel El Narco (Velocette – Space Race) was also in contact with the pace.
It was a tightly packed field that raced around that turn, which led to a degree of shunting and shuffling between them meaning no greyhound was able to get any sort of a break on the field. Meanwhile, still biding her time at the rear of the field was Granny Magnet.
Avalanch City (Sergio – Homebush Iris) for John McInerney briefly made an appearance at the head of the field when the finalists swung in for the long grind up the Ascot Park home straight. From there it was all on for the race finish.
Granny Magnet was then sighted ducking and weaving between his rivals, appearing from nowhere. His rapid momentum carried him past his rivals to victory, which he ultimately claimed by a half length margin. The win was Granny Magnet’s third from 12 races and after adding in four minor placings he sees his career earning standing at $6,456 – a figure that will be quickly expanded on.
The 26.37s 457m race time was significantly slower than any of the heat times, however that can be directly attributed to the tightly packed nature the field was in throughout the entire journey. Southern Honey was all heart in holding down second and she held the same margin in advance of the third placed Avalanch City, who in turn was a neck in front of Opawa Tab.
Let’s leave the last word to commentator Dave McDonald who in his post race wrap stated, “Never have I see a greyhound finish like that before.”
The full Southland Club hosted NZRS Novice podium with Granny Magnet being flanked by Southern Honey and Avalanch City; trainer Jason Dunn with his daughter Brooke; a deserved post race Mr. Whippy ice cream for Granny Magnet (Photos supplied by Dave Robbie - drobbie@ihug.co.nz – 021 607 869 for all your South Island race photos)
‘Team’ McInerney Cracks the $1,000,000 Barrier
Training the first race trifecta at Ascot Park on Tuesday pushed the John McInerney kennels through the million dollar stakes earning barrier for the current season. The race was won by Valyrian Steel, which saw ‘team’ McInerney’s concluding the day’s racing activities with 525 winners for the season.
He was the second greyhound trainer to crack the million dollar kennel earnings for the season after Lisa Cole had earlier achieved the milestone. She has since gone onto to accumulate just over $1,400,000 in stake earnings for the term (693 winners).
John McInerney, whose kennel has won over a $1,000,000 for the 2016/17 racing season. A leading contributor to the McInerney kennels has been the NZ Oaks winner Cosmic Odette pictured here with Jonathon McInerney after her Group 1 victory
By Peter Fenemor
