It was on 20 March 2011 when greyhound owner/trainer Gary Harding said, “It’s only a matter time before the 25 second barrier for the Cambridge 457m distance is going to be broken."

Pictured: Sergio storming to his 2010 New Zealand Cup victory

It hasn’t been, instead withstanding the test of time since that date when the classy Sergio set the Cambridge 457m track record, recording a slick 25.07s. It is the time standard that still stands at the Cambridge Raceway.

Sergio or Sam as he was affectionately known as, was humanely put to sleep last week after suffering from aggressive bone cancer.

The impact that Sergio has had on New Zealand greyhound racing has been immense. Aside from his stellar racing career, winning three Group 1 races under the mentoring of Harding, it has been at stud where he really left his mark.

Let’s go back to October 2010 when he powerfully announced his arrival into the Kiwi open class chasing ranks. After having won races in three Australian states Sergio made his Kiwi debut on 7 October at the Cambridge Raceway over 457m. He delivered a powerful 25.66s win which came in the Cambridge hosted heat for the Waterloo Cup.

He then headed up to the Manukau Stadium where he stylishly won the time honoured Group 1 final over 527m in 30.22s. Commentator Peter Earley threw in one of his classic one liners as Sergio went clear of his rivals which included the outstanding greyhound Little Mother. “Sergio surges to his Waterloo Cup win,” he called.

Gary Harding said at the time, “It is beyond my wildest dreams to bring him up here to win today.” It was a relentless chase after Group 1 titles following that. He went down to the Addington Raceway where he powerfully threw down the gauntlet to his New Zealand Cup rivals when smashing his 520m heat rivals into submission via his slippery 29.83s track debut win.

A 30.17s semi-final win followed which was then backed up by his strong 30.06s victory in the $100,000 final. His 520m Hatrick Raceway track debut followed where he was run down by a nose by Little Mother in a swift 29.66s.

Group 1 racing at the same venue was next up on the agenda which saw him easily winning his Spion Rose Cup 520m heat in 29.86s. It was then onto the final where he effortlessly completed his assignment when delivering his 29.62s victory. After a spell Sergio contested open class northern events which included his Cambridge 457m track record time, followed by a traffic impeded Auckland Cup final outing.

Sergio then returned to Sydney to contest the rich A$250,000 Golden Easter Egg series at Wentworth Park in April 2011. His 520m heat third saw him advancing into the semi-finals, where he produced his personal best 520m time at the Sydney headquarters when winning his semi in 29.94s. He went on to endure a luckless race in the final.

Retirement from racing after winning 14 of his 20 New Zealand races (22 from 50 overall career races and $128,485s in stake earnings) came shortly after that which saw Sam taking up stud duties in Tirau. He passed on his tenacious hard chasing attitude to his progeny which enabled Sergio to dominate the New Zealand stud dog ranks.

His first of three New Zealand Sire of the Year titles came in the 2015/16 season where he sired the winners of 189 races from 39 runners. He claimed the title again last season with 163 race winners which came from 38 individual chasers.

Sam completed his final years as a sofa loafer when he was adopted as a loving pet by Lincoln and Natalie Lane becoming a strong part their family for the rest of his days. Even in retirement Sam made the newspaper headlines where he featured in a heart-warming NZ Herald article after he was mauled by another breed of dog.

Sergio made his final visit to a greyhound track when he returned to his former Cambridge home track in August where he paraded the field to the traps in a race named after him.
 

Sergio (Sam) seen here with Lincoln Lane and his daughter Apolima; Sergio made a return to Cambridge in August and he is pictured here with Sings Like Elvis, the winner of the race named after him; Sergio with his owner and trainer Gary Harding following his 2010 New Zealand Cup victory

By Peter Fenemor