RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
GOM

Best Dog

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Coming to the end of our involvement with the greyhounds I think back to the dogs that really stood out for me during our time participating.

The first dog meeting I went to was at Solway park in 1979 and Atua Lad won the hurdle race by about 50 lengths, I will never forget my amazement at how dominant he was. Shorty Bigou was my next favourite  with his courage and domination of South Island staying races. I have a bias towards the stayers so all of John Goodes Aqua family really impressed me not only for winning the Silver Collar on more than one occasion but also being able to win the group1 Waterloo cup one of the premiere middle distance in the country. Swift Fantasy thrilled not only NZ but gained international fame with her winning from positions she should not have been able win from . Thrilling Brat was a thrilling dog over any distance and like Swift Fantasy had the ability to win from impossible positions he stamped himself as being one of the best with his huge efforts in Australia. Dyna Vickers Auckland cup win was probably the gutsiest win I have seen from a dog and he was nigh unbeatable for a while. Cecilia Lloyd was probably the most tradesman like dog I have seen , huge ability and no matter where he ended up in the running he found a way, his tradesman like ability to get himself in a winning position meant he didn't have to use those other skill very often. Thrilling Sam not only had pace and brains but was also very strong to the line , the complete dog. Tivoli Tom was an amazing dog. I couldn't believe him having his first start as amaiden in the heats of the NZ derby (couldn't happen today) which he not only won but also won the final. He went on to be almost unbeatable over the staying distance for a couple of season's. I often think that God only knows how good our own dog Spadeworthy would have been with an ounce of luck and a decent trainer even though he won several group ones

  How ever Little Mother is my choice for best dog, she won 14 in a row in the best company, some group races, on all major tracks in NZ which was the NZ record at the time, she then ran second then won her next two starts both group ones. She amassed a huge tally of wins (not sure but I think 86) and raced on and on. I think she qualifies as not only the best dog to race in NZ but easily the best.

What do you think , I have obviously not mentioned some champions like Misty Anna (miss Deanna ) , Miss Cutie, American Warrior etc that have claims to the title but it is just my opinion 

 

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Correction;  Someone pointed out she only won 85 races which is correct, I must add that she won her only two starts over distance and ended up with stake earnings of over $370 k which makes her record even more outstanding.

Little mother , LEGEND.

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You are probably right about Tiz Too. I saw him one night at the old Auckland track win a sprint race by the length of the straight and went faster time over fences than the class two winner of the following race on the flat. He didn't like me though, Ivor asked me to manipulate him one day and from then if he heard my voice even from say 100m away he would start growling. Needless to say I never manipulated him again, in fact I doubt anyone did.

    Strange thing about Tiz Too is although he obviously had a ton on pace he was never able to win a maiden on the flat. I   saw him after he ran that slashing time at Auckland have a go in a weak maiden race on the flat. Very poor effort for fourth if I remember rightly. He jus wouldn't try unless there were hurdles. Bred and reared by Peter McKerrow a  trainer I had huge respect for

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31 minutes ago, GOM said:

You are probably right about Tiz Too. I saw him one night at the old Auckland track win a sprint race by the length of the straight and went faster time over fences than the class two winner of the following race on the flat. He didn't like me though, Ivor asked me to manipulate him one day and from then if he heard my voice even from say 100m away he would start growling. Needless to say I never manipulated him again, in fact I doubt anyone did.

    Strange thing about Tiz Too is although he obviously had a ton on pace he was never able to win a maiden on the flat. I   saw him after he ran that slashing time at Auckland have a go in a weak maiden race on the flat. Very poor effort for fourth if I remember rightly. He jus wouldn't try unless there were hurdles. Bred and reared by Peter McKerrow a  trainer I had huge respect for

Sorry my stuff up there it was a hurdle race not sprint that Tiz too won

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In 2008 I was asked to do a Top Ten Greyhounds Of My Time for the 60-Year History of the Christchurch Greyhound Racing Club (1948-2008).

I came up with Misty Anna, Magic Command, Shorty Bijou, Cecilia Bale, Red Hot Zinger, Mega Maxi, Denzil Bale, Awesome Paul, Marn Groot, Another Gale, and Winsome Ashley. I listed many more very capable greyhounds but such selections are quite subjective and those named were my Chosen Ones.

Each of them was a favourite of mine for a variety of reasons and for a certain length of time but if I had to put one at the very top, it would have to be Winsome Ashley.

Ashley had a stellar season in 2007-2008, winning 4 Group 1 races and setting 3 track records, one of which still stands - 527m at Manukau in 29.77sec.. I cannot recall another greyhound with such third-phase acceleration and what so often appeared to be a contest with perhaps 100m still to go became a procession as she put on the turbo booster.and won by many lengths.

Winsome Ashley was whelped in February 2006 and was trained by Jean and Dave Fahey for the Pave The Way syndicate.

In more recent times Swimming Goat with its 22 consecutive wins would certainly have found a very high place in the best of the sprinters' ranks at Addington Raceway.

 

 

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Mike did you by chance watch Dyna Daves run last night (Friday 17th) in the heats of the Whanganui Classic still wouldnt of given him a show coming past the 645 boxes one of the guttest runs I have seen for sometime.

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12 hours ago, bus stop said:

Mike did you by chance watch Dyna Daves run last night (Friday 17th) in the heats of the Whanganui Classic still wouldnt of given him a show coming past the 645 boxes one of the guttest runs I have seen for sometime.

What an exciting race and great win. I would not put it in the same league as Dyna Vickers AK cup effort though as Vickers was in a G1 final and his effort was extraordinary.

I think Dave's win was more a credit to his intelligence than guts. The field sort of packed up at a crucial time in that race and Dave made the most of that. Very good effort by a very good dog though. See what happens in the final. If he is able to put up a similar performance in the final I will rethink it but it will have be bloody good to head off Vickers effort in that cup final.

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On 1/14/2020 at 9:29 AM, GOM said:

Coming to the end of our involvement with the greyhounds I think back to the dogs that really stood out for me during our time participating.

The first dog meeting I went to was at Solway park in 1979 and Atua Lad won the hurdle race by about 50 lengths, I will never forget my amazement at how dominant he was. Shorty Bigou was my next favourite  with his courage and domination of South Island staying races. I have a bias towards the stayers so all of John Goodes Aqua family really impressed me not only for winning the Silver Collar on more than one occasion but also being able to win the group1 Waterloo cup one of the premiere middle distance in the country. Swift Fantasy thrilled not only NZ but gained international fame with her winning from positions she should not have been able win from . Thrilling Brat was a thrilling dog over any distance and like Swift Fantasy had the ability to win from impossible positions he stamped himself as being one of the best with his huge efforts in Australia. Dyna Vickers Auckland cup win was probably the gutsiest win I have seen from a dog and he was nigh unbeatable for a while. Cecilia Lloyd was probably the most tradesman like dog I have seen , huge ability and no matter where he ended up in the running he found a way, his tradesman like ability to get himself in a winning position meant he didn't have to use those other skill very often. Thrilling Sam not only had pace and brains but was also very strong to the line , the complete dog. Tivoli Tom was an amazing dog. I couldn't believe him having his first start as amaiden in the heats of the NZ derby (couldn't happen today) which he not only won but also won the final. He went on to be almost unbeatable over the staying distance for a couple of season's. I often think that God only knows how good our own dog Spadeworthy would have been with an ounce of luck and a decent trainer even though he won several group ones

  How ever Little Mother is my choice for best dog, she won 14 in a row in the best company, some group races, on all major tracks in NZ which was the NZ record at the time, she then ran second then won her next two starts both group ones. She amassed a huge tally of wins (not sure but I think 86) and raced on and on. I think she qualifies as not only the best dog to race in NZ but easily the best.

What do you think , I have obviously not mentioned some champions like Misty Anna (miss Deanna ) , Miss Cutie, American Warrior etc that have claims to the title but it is just my opinion 

 

I remember the great Atua lad as a 12 yr old. The great clashes he had with my dog Joan's Sapphire the GREAT Crowd Pleaser in the hurdles. great memories.

 

Greyhound_Joans_Sapphire-big.jpg

Greyhound_Joans_Sapphire-_3big.jpg

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Good one Lyndsay,, Iremember her well and I think you may have been involved with another good hurdler as well. That newspaper cutting is amazing as it lists some very good dogs and well bred dogs Tip Top could be found in a lot of good dogs Blue Pacific was one of a litter that is hailed as probably the best litter ever whelped in UK. he ran away from his owner on the moors somewhere and was lost. The rest of the litter went on to not only win all the major races on offer but at stud became foundations of the breed.

         When someone found Blue Pacific unaware of his famous family they kept him as a pet and when they emigrated to NZ they brought him with them . He ended up siring a few litters in NZ and most of them could run. The first dog we ever raced was by Blue Pacific and was probably the only dog we have had that may have been a freak. We were new to the sport and we had her living inside with us , she slept on whosever bed was available and ate mostly what we ate. I listened to older heads with time in the sport who were so amazed at her speed at trials said if she was mine I would be racing her right away. As a result we registered her at 12 months and win she did. By age 13 months she held the track record at Rotorua over 540m. Still at 13 months we put her in a restricted age feature over 578? at Mt Smart which had attracted a strong field. She had never on the track before, missed the jump and quickly got into gear and started making her way through the field she was chopped out of it at the end of the back straight and battled away for fifth. I learned so much from that bitch but it was at her cost. My biggest regret in 40 odd years of training.

I see on the list of hurdlers there Is a letter or two after each dog which looks as though it is the area they were trained in. HB would be Hawkes Bay and it is it's a long time since there was a trainer there. I also notice your bitch was out of Emerald Lass, she left some very good dogs that raced on the flat.I think Mrs French and her daughter  from CD may have been involved with either breeding form her or racing some of her good progeny .

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12 hours ago, Charlie Bukowski said:

Laurel Streak the 1st dog I fell in love with.

Saw him in action at Mt Smart many moons ago , superb dog !!

Incredible Dog. Should have won the Auckland Cup, unlucky run where lisa havoc won it., and 2nd the incredible track record holder Double kwik ran 2nd.

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