American Warrior, Ring The Bell or Thrilling Boris – which greyhound will be announced as the 2016/17 New Zealand Greyhound of the Year during the greyhound code’s award evening in Invercargill on Saturday?
Pictured: Dyna Vikkers, the 2015/16 NZ Greyhound of the Year
Many of the award winners from last season are already known, however, there are a number of additional winners, plus some special presentations which will be revealed during the evening. There will also be new inductions named for the NZ Greyhound Hall of Fame.
Rightfully so, the main focus will center on the code’s ultimate accolade. Here are the credentials for the three 2016/17 NZ Greyhound of the Year finalists are (in alphabetical order).
American Warrior (Owners Whittington Sprod – Trainers Dave & Jean Fahey)
37 races – 25 wins, 5 2nds
Earnings: $130,555
Group 1: 1st NZ Cup
Group 2: 1st Far South Challenge; 1st Palmerston North Gold Cup
Regional features: 1st Waikato Cup; 1st Jack Hannon Memorial Cup, 1st Invercargill Cup
Track record: Ascot Park 457m (25.69s); Ascot Park 457m (25.57s)
2nd NZ Middle Distance of the Year (on points); Highest NZ stakes earner $130,555
American Warrior easily won the nation’s richest greyhound race, the $100,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup. He also added the annual Far South Challenge (Ascot Park) and the inaugural running of the Palmerston North Gold Cup (Manawatu) both at Group 2 level.
Regional feature races that fell his way included the Waikato Cup (Cambridge), Jack Hannon Memorial (Cambridge) and the Invercargill Cup (Ascot Park). He proved to be virtually unbeatable on the big sweeping one turn traps as seen when he won ten of his twelve 457m races on the three one turn tracks in this country. During the season he lowered the Ascot Park 457m track record twice. The $130,555 stakes he won during the season was easily the highest won by any greyhound throughout the season.
American Warrior winning the NZ Cup (pic Dave Robbie); American Warrior with his Waikato Cup; American Warrior was a versatile greyhound – he’s pictured here with co-trainer Dave Fahey after winning his Manukau track debut race over the 318m dash
Ring The Bell (Owners Four Frothy’s Syndicate – Trainers Gerry O’Keefe & Ray Adcock)
6 races – 6 wins
Earnings: $70,170
Group 1: 1st Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar, 1st NZ Stayers’ Cup
Track record: Forbury Park 770m 46.28s
Ring The Bell crossed the Tasman from Victoria as a highly rated staying greyhound. He confirmed that fact when he convincingly won the prestigious Plasterboard Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar over the Manukau 779m journey.
He then transferred into the Ray Adcock kennels who prepared Ring The Bell to completely dominate the Christchurch Casino New Zealand Stayers Cup series with the 732m series providing him with his second New Zealand Group 1 title.
Ring The Bell concluded the season with a visit to Forbury Park where he obliterated the long standing Forbury Park 770m track record when scampering over the staying distance in an outstanding 46.28s (previous record was 46.93s).
Ring The Bell wearing the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar; winning the NZ Stayers Cup (pic Dave Robbie); trainer Ray Adcock with kennel hand Jordan Bryce after his NZ Stayers Cup victory
Thrilling Boris (Owner Gary Harding – Trainer Karen Walsh)
19 races – 12 wins, 1 2nd, 2 3rds
Earnings: $70,250
Group 1: 1st Waterloo Cup, 1st Hatrick Classic, 3rd Spion Rose
Group 2: 1st Waikato Classic
Regional features: 1st NZRS Advanced final (Manawatu)
One can only wonder what this superb greyhound would have achieved if firstly illness, then injury didn’t occur which severely curtailed his racing season. Thrilling Boris convincingly won the Waterloo Cup over 527m at Group 1 level which earned him a prized start in a heat of the world’s richest greyhound race, the A$600,000 TAB Melbourne Cup. An untimely bout of kennel cough then intervened resulting in the Melbourne trip being abandoned.
Thrilling Boris resumed racing in October to win an $11,000 NZRS Advanced final in Palmerston North. He went onto win a heat of the Group 1 Spion Rose Cup, which was followed by his third in the 520m final. He won his home track 457m Waikato Classic title at Group 2 level, then in January he returned to Hatrick to annex the newly instigated Group 1 Hatrick Classic 520m event. He then suffered a season ending injury when contesting the Group 1 $80,000 Plasterboard Auckland final over 527m.
Trainer Karen Walsh with Thrilling Boris after his Waterloo Cup win and also following his Hatrick classic victory; Thrilling Boris after winning the Waikato Classic
By Peter Fenemor
