April'08 - Greyhounds Queensland

Steve gets serious and finds
a couple of potential stars
A FEW years ago Stephen Clack decided
the time was right to get a bit serious about
greyhound racing.
“I’d had enough of giveaways and I
decided to treat the game as more of a
business,” he said.
He had been dabbling in a small team
since 1984.
A painter by trade, his painting partner at
the time, Bill Kendrick, had been a greyhound
man for years back in Victoria.
Bill got Stephen interested. Their first dog
didn’t win a race.
“So we got a couple up from Victoria,”
said Stephen. “Bill taught me the basics and
the first dog we got from Victoria raced as
Super Royal and won six races.
“As soon as I started winning races, I
lived that feeling and was hooked.”
While Stephen has had success since
then, he admits he was taking too many
giveaways. “I got one dog for a six-pack of
beer,” he said.
Stephen, wife Margaret, and “super keen”
daughters Kimberley, 17, and Krista, 13, live
on acreage at Logan Reserve.
“In 1997 I got involved with Bobby and
Bill Foster and raced a few of their dogs. It
was the time of the introduction of QBIS and
we won quite a few of those races with dogs
like Foster’s Standby and Foster’s Buddy.
The former won 10 races in Steve’s care
although both were mainly shortcousers
winning at Toowoomba, Capalaba, the Gold
Coast etc.
Around this time Steve got a mate of his,
John Chantler, interested in greyhound racing.
John got to know veteran dog man Fred
Crowther who sold him a bitch that would
race as Flighty Vixen (New Fox-Horizon
Flight).
It was at stud that Flight Vixen would
prove her worth, producing the outstanding
galloper Bounding Heart that top grade
Albion Park galloper from Fred Crowther’s
kennel.
Among that litter was a bitch that Stephen
Clack would buy. Named Lady Alabaster, she
broke in exceptionally.
“But we had nothing but injury problems
and every six months she would come on
season,” said Steve.
Lady Alabaster did manage to win around
the Gold Coast in a flying 25.76. Steve would
give up on her and put her to stud.
“That time at the Gold Coast convinced
us to breed with her.”
Her first litter was to Royal Pilgrim and
produced Lady Bowkey winner of four of her
first five starts. She has since been sold and
Stephen and his family have retained her litter
sister Lady Chambers to breed on with.
When Lady Alabaster came back on
season, she was put to Bitability Bale and
produced six pups. The Clack family decided
to keep them all.
“And they nearly killed me,” he said. “I
sent them all out to be professionally reared
and it was such an expense.”
One of the pups died, another dropped a
back muscle, which left four. The two bitches
are now being trained by Megan Bernard and
Steve has kept the two dogs.
Racing as Park Raider and Here Comes
Kurt they are as promising as any young dogs
around.
Both won maidens up Capalaba recently
and in the final Park Raider narrowly downed
his litter brother winning in 19.74.
“I’m amazed at the improvement in both
ABOVE: Park Raider
beats his littermate
Here Comes Kurt at
Capalaba.
(Rick O'Donnell pics)
RIGHT: Stephen and
Kimberley Clack with
Pied Raider.
of the dogs,” said Steve. “Just a month before
I put Here Comes Kurt into his maiden, he
could not break 21 seconds up Capalaba.
“But every run I give them they get better.”
Suddenly the new-found professionalism
of the Clack kennel is paying off.
“I’ll take them both through their grades
and hope they can keep improving. I’m not in
a hurry with them,” he said. “Potentially they
are the best dogs we’ve trained.”
Unfortunately Lady Alabaster had to be
put down recently due to problems with her
health. “And the phone hasn’t stopped
ringing with inquiries about pups from her,”
said Steve.
The future is looking bright for Steve and
his family. Park Raider and Here Comes Kurt
show unlimited potential. Steve has their litter
sisters to breed with in the future and is just
waiting on Lady Chambers to come on season.
Credibility
Bearability
Kissy Bear
Bitability Bale
Grove Whisper*
Jindara Bale
Star Lee
PARK RAIDER
Credibility
Just The Best
Flying Amy
Lady Alabaster
New Fox
Flighty Vixen
Horizon Flight
WILD VOODOO
(Go Wild Teddy x Voodoo Princess)
ex Voodoo Lady
17 wins, his first 8 straight. Sensational early pace
Best Times: Albion Park 30.17, Ipswich 25.17 & 30.85
Lismore 30.17
Voodoo Princess – dam of Up And Down
(dam of Technoman and Super Hornet)
Voodoo Lady – granddam of Quidame, Lucy’s Light,
Texas Gold etc. A very potent damline
Fee $440
Park Ridge Greyhound Complex
Lot 35 Smith Rd Park Ridge
Dogs for Racing Overseas
Must be under 26 months
Ph Steve Wilkes
(07) 54465112 or 0427 319944
Ph 07 3200 0172 Mike 0411 326605 Rachel 0402 684786
Visit our website at www.parkridgegreyhoundcomplex.com
Litter For Sale
Where's Pedro x Classy Angel
Whelped 15-2-08
Get in early and have first pick of litter.
$3000 each
The (April, 2008) Journal Page 9