New Zealand greyhound racing history was created at the Cambridge Raceway on Thursday afternoon when Dave and Jean Fahey trained their 100th Group race winner. It has been a whirlwind, phenomenal training achievement stretching over 14 years for the Canterbury couple.
Pictured: Shantui after he provided his trainers Dave and Jean Fahey with their 100th Group race success on Thursday
The Fahey’s sent their recent Amazing Chase winner Shantui, along with their Canterbury Futurity winner Vikings north with their long time kennel foreman Ross Mathers to contest the Angus Wright Memorial Interisland Invitation at Group 2 level.
The 457m $15,825m event turned into a rugged affair when a fair amount of jostling and bumping occurred when the talented field was rounding the big, sweeping Cambridge bend which slightly reorganised the field.
Earlier that morning the ultra consistent one turn track specialist Timmy Trumpet was named as the 2016/17 Waikato Greyhound of the Year (he was also the winner of the middle distance title) during the clubs annual awards presentation, which coincided with a celebration of 20 years of greyhound racing at the Cambridge venue.
Timmy obviously enjoyed his accolade because he bounded away from trap four for his conditioner Karen Walsh to set the early pace. Vikings pushed up underneath him, while Spring Allegro was sighted spearing forward from his wide draw for Lisa Cole. Shantui was positioned just in behind the early pace.
Timmy Trumpet was galloped on when rounding the turn, however he still held the race lead. It was at that point when Shantui strongly made his presence felt. It was to be a presence that he was about to really strongly impose as the 38 kg ball of muscle charged alongside Timmy Trumpet during the run home.
Timmy refused to flinch however the strength owned Shantui won out over the concluding stages which saw him claiming the Group 2 title by a half length margin over an extremely gallant Timmy Trumpet. The rather moderate 25.91s winning time (for this class) was a reflection on the tough no quarter given or taken manner that this race was contested in.
Spring Allegro maintained his solid gallop which saw him being rewarded with the third spot on the podium two lengths further behind and he received the Breeders bonus payment for being the first Kiwi bred chaser to finish in the Group event. It was a slasher of a race that the C2 graded Cristiane Cyborg produced for her fourth placing just a head back. The Hayley Mullane trained chaser made a tardy start, which was further exaggerated when she stumbled over the first couple of strides.
“It was good to see Dozer (kennel name) using his strength to win the race,” commented Mathers afterwards. “I’m just pleased to get the job done for Dave and Jean, plus also for Darrel (McLachlan owner).”
“I guess you can call being in the nervous nineties,” chuckled Dave Fahey the following morning in reference to the two month “holding” period the couple sat on 99 Group race winners. “Yes, it is really good to finally get there.”
It was entirely appropriate that the 100th Black type winner for the Fahey’s came after having a torrid paw wrestle with a Karen Walsh trained greyhound. The two kennels have maintained a super strike rate for numerous years having regularly contested NZ Trainer Strike Rate titles.
It was also appropriate that the century was raised by an I Pave Concrete owned greyhound as McLachlan is the syndicate manager. Go back to the South Island Champs at the Addington Raceway on June 6 2003 when it was the McLachlan owned Egyptian Gold, who was the first greyhound the Fahey’s mentored to a Group race victory.
Dave and Jean Fahey’s kennel foreman Ross Mathers with the Angus Wright Memorial Interisland Invitation winner Shantui and Angus Wright’s daughter Sharon; second place runner Timmy Trumpet and the third placed Spring Allegro
Pawnote: A more in depth article is to follow on the 100 Group race training wins by Dave and Jean Fahey.
By Peter Fenemor
