Thursday’s Cambridge hosted $7,340 NZRS Novice final was a victory for the small time breeders – actually very small time. It was also the result of an unplanned mating.
The win occurred when Snoopy’s Bro pinged away from the four trap and he was never headed during the run when he claimed his biggest career win when he cut out the 457m trip in 25.91s.
Pictured: Thursday’s Waikato NZRS Novice winner Snoopy’s Bro (pic Sarah – Waikato GRC)
The field for this feature final was blown wide open following the scratchings of the two heavily favoured Karen Walsh prepared unbeaten heat winners Thrilling Carly and Thrilling Talk owing to a bout of kennel cough.
Snoopy’s Bro’s control on this final can be gauged by his 6.75 length winning margin that this son of Exact Master and Working Twinkle had declared in his favour by judge Tommy Thompson.
The second reserve Bigtime Jacob (Jarvis Bale – Real Clever), who is now trained by Hayley Mullane, jumped in from off the reserves bench and he finished resolutely for his second placing. The race favourite Draxler (Bekim Bale – Delusionist) from the Glenis Farrell kennels made a tardy start.
He then struck traffic problems when he attempted to improve his field position, however once he received clear racing air he rattled home late for third half a length further behind. In doing so he relegated the Wayne and Tracy Steele trained Opawa Velocette (Velocette – Winsome Uno) back to fourth by another half length.
Snoopy’s Bro is raced his official breeder Delwyn Hunt and Ray and it was Hunt who completed the required registration formalities of Exact Master after the “retired pet” at the time “strayed” for his unplanned mating with Working Twinkle.
“Yeah it was all a bit of a stuff up alright,” recalled Delwyn Hunt. “It was a right mess to sort it all out but I’m so glad I persevered in getting all the paper work right. I’m stoked that Snoopy’s Bro won Thursday’s race, especially as we told by others that the litter would be useless.”
Understandably this is the only litter that Exact Master has sired since he was retired after being raced by Hunt’s father Brian who has been a long time industry participant. Hunt, who these days bases himself in Wanganui with a small team of greyhounds, actually handed over the Auckland GRC commentary microphone to the club’s current commentator Peter Earley back in 1973. Hunt was given Exact Master to race by northern trainer Phil Green. Exact Master is now enjoying life as a pet greyhound on a Hawke’s Bay sheep farm.
Snoopy’s Bro has now won $5,914, the result of two wins and ten minor placings from his 27 career races. He has also won $484 more in stakes than what his father did throughout his 103 race career. Snoopy’s Bro’s mum Working Twinkle completed her 17 race career as a Maiden greyhound.
There was five greyhounds whelped in this December 2015 born litter. Ray also trains Snoopy’s Hero, while of Hunt’s daughter Lee Anne prepares Luke Skywalker. It is another long time industry participant Dianne Donlon who races the other two litter members Cool Wolf and White Comet. The five siblings has now won 18 races between them.
Therefore as mentioned above, this result sure is a big time result for the smaller breeders, even though it wasn’t a planned mating!
Thursday’s Waikato NZRS Novice winner Snoopy’s Bro with his trainer David Ray and Snoopy’s Bro flanked by the place getters Bigtime Jacob and Draxler (pics Sarah – Waikato GRC)
By Peter Fenemor
