July'07 - Greyhounds Queensland

"LUCKY" she may be for trainerMichael Landrigan who, after 37 years, hasfound good fortune.At the age of just 17 months, Lucky Finabroke the Gunnedah track record on debutlast month, a rare feat for a maiden to set atime standard.Lucky Fina is by Knockabout Wok-Blazing Fire, a bitch that broke theRichmond 717m track record in 2004 andwas raced by Landrigan's nephew ToddMoroney.An unlikely conversation (at a familyfuneral) between Todd, Michael and hisbrother John saw the brothers make thedecision to buy Lucky Fina from Todd ona family deal.The Landrigans are a "Brady Bunch"family, four girls and three boys, whileMichael is married with two young boys,Luke, 7, and Thomas, 1.For Michael it all started when he was14 and a great help for his da, Frank, atrainer of 16 years."I gained my trainer's license when Iwas about 17 or 18. I know it was a yearsooner than I was entitled to get it," Michaelsaid.He remembers his first dog, Two Spots,who was owned by his boss at the time.Michael was doing an apprenticeship as abutcher which he continued for three years.Michael knew he had to get results orhe would be making rissoles for the rest ofhis apprenticeship. Two Spots won fiveraces around the Grafton and Tweed Headsarea.Michael left the butcher shop after hisboss lost the lot when divorced from hiswife and closed the doors. He tookemployment at the local abattoirs where hehas now been for three decades.Gary ClarkMichael, Lukeand TomLandrigan withLucky Fina.New South Wales"I finish about 3.30pm so it gives me theessential time with the dogs and allows me torace at night during the week," he said.He has three dogs in work at the momentbut in nearly 40 years in the sport, has he everprepared a city winner?"No, never won a city race, in fact I'veonly had two city starters. Ran last atWentworth Park and Two Spots fell at theGabba," Michael said.Most of the time he takes giveaways.He has had success in the country withthese dogs but maybe Lucky Fina couldgive him his first real TAB/City dog.Michael was bred and born in Graftonwhere he still resides, while brother Johnis on the Central Coast at Umina.It is a tough time at the moment forJohn, his wife Rosemary is currently inhospital with complications with herkidneys.Rosemary and John are fighting theirown personal battles, so maybe Lucky Finamight provide a smile in hard times in theweeks ahead.They were fortunate to miss thedevastation of the Coastal floods lastmonth, which took several lives.Life is already tough for John andRosemary, maybe someone was finallylooking after them.Lucky Fina is bred to stay. She has hadjust two starts and came from behind whenbreaking the track record, eventuallywinning by five lengths over 347m.This is a bitch that looks set to makethe TAB tracks and just maybe it will bethird time lucky for Michael if she comesto town.LITTLE River trainer DianeBartolo only had a trainer’s licence fora month when she produced theinterestingly named Borat to win the$12,000-to-win Vic Breeders final(515m) at The Meadows.Diane and Paul Bartolo only have10 dogs in work and they includeBorat and Perth Cup winner Betty’sAngel.Betty's has had 27 starts for 17wins and is a multiple Group 1 winnerand last year's Australian greyhoundof the year.“Paul named Borat. He was veryhairy when he was a pup,” said Diane."He's gorgeous now. He hadn’tdone a lot in trials but he just keptimproving through the Vic Breeders atthe Meadows.’’Borat (Brett Lee-Chloe Jones) hasnow had three starts for three winsand picked up $18,675 in prizemoney.The black dog clocked 30.50seconds in the heats, ran the quickestsemi-final of 29.91 and then took outthe final in 29.95 from his TinaWomann-trained litter brother TrewMillions.Bartolo said she had retired fromworking full-timeáin February.“I’ve only had a licence about threeweeks or a month when Borat won thefinal,” she said.“Training is a lot of fun, especiallywhen you’ve got a few good dogs."Borat is just getting faster andfaster. I also have to give Paul a rap,he’s a pretty good teacher.’’The Bartolos also bred the litterwhich is a repeat mating.Andrew ThomsonThe first litter included Group 1winning performer Trewly Special(Sandown 29.66, Meadows 29.72, AlbionPark 29.86), Two Up Larry (Sandown29.85, Meadows 29.95, Ballarat 25.03)and Go Forever (34 wins, Sandown29.80, Meadows 29.90, Geelong 25.25,Horsham 26.97).“We bred that litter and kept Two UpLarry."This litter also includes TrewMillions which Tina bought as a pup andFergalicious which has broken 30 atVictoriaBORAT - Paul Munt picSandown a couple of times and won theTasmanian Oaks.”Bartolo said Borat would be set forthe South Australian Derby.‘’We’ve had a bit of luck over therewith Miss Mini Mouse and Betty’sAngel,’’ she said.“It’s good to keep pups to their ownage group if you can and work throughthe grades.”Bartolo said other dogs she had inwork included Betty’s Angel’s litterbrother Fast Indian which has only had10 starts for four wins and fiveplacings and broken 30 at theMeadows three times.“He has had a few injuries. He’sgot a sore fibula and we’re just takinghim along slowly and hoping hematures,” she said.“We also had Glamorous in the VicBreeders but she’s a slow maturer andhas done a monkey muscle."She’s out of the next litter fromBetty’s Angel’s dam Leprechaun Yapby Spiral Nikita."Dizzy Rascal is a Kilby Supremebitch who won her first start at theMeadows so we’re pretty lucky withwhat we have in the kennel at themoment.’’Bartolo said Betty’s Angel hadwon the Perth Cup in April but didnot travel well and had been sidelinedfor the next six weeks.“The sprint series is on atSandown during August but she’llneed a few runs before that,” she said.“We just sorting out a program forher now,” she said.The (July, 2007) Journal Page 27