November'06 - Greyhounds Queensland

IN all the years I've been in greyhoundracing, there have been some wonderfulhighlights.Probably the biggest betting plunge Iever saw was at Capalaba plenty of yearsago, and it was landed by John Reimer.The dog was Pacific Ben and Iremember it like it was yesterday.In those days there were 10 bookies atCapalaba, and they would let you on.Pacific Ben won comfortably. But thething that stood out was the punter whocollected the Reimer winnings.He looked more like a music teacher,horn-rimmed glasses, and the look thathardly seemed likely to be handling such abetting commission.The bookie kept letting him on, and henever ran out of money to back the dog.I watched him collect and was amazed.He stuffed the money into a large plasticbag which by the time he was finished wasbulging.I've since discussed this day withJohnny and of course he remembers it well.He didn't tell me the "music teacher's"name. JR might still have him up his sleevefor a future punt.On a trip to Lismore "in the good olddays", one of the locals was holding courtalongside the fence waiting for the dogs tobe called onto the track.His dog looked terrible, very poor tosay the least.Syd NorrisMemoriesHe was telling one of the punters on theother side of the fence what he was andwasn't giving his dog at the time.We fell about laughing when one of theother handlers, a local woman trainer, saidto the guy holding court "had he ever tried athing called MEAT".My late father Perc was a characterhimself, dry wit, and knew everyone.In the early days of straight track racing,there was no kennelling. We would justkeep the dogs under a tree for shade andwhen our race came up, we would headover to the track.When dad and I turned up to race, Iwould always get left with the dogs.Perc would head off.He'd chat to everyone, finding out whatthey had done with their dogs all week, whothought they could win, and who didn't.He had that way of getting the info outof people. By the time he came back to meand the dogs, he knew the lot.Yes, he was a sticky beak.Back in the 50s, dad pulled off a greatcoup. It was in a final at Capalaba.In those days Archie Sugden (a formertop local trot driver) was riding the horsewho pulled the lure for the dog races.Keith Fuller, a likable larrikin, has MissKingscliffe in a big final on the day and wehad Long Story up against her.Miss Kingscliffe was a "bit of a nonnie"and needed a short hare drive, while LongStory would chase without a lure he wasthat good a chaser.On one of Perc's pre-race fact findingmissions he found out Keith Fuller hadoffered Archie 10 shillings to keep the hareright under the nose of Miss Kingscliffe.Dad wasted no time getting to Archie tooffer him a quid, one pound, to make sureArchie rode that horse as hard as he could.That's how it turned out and Long Storywon.Next Edition:MORE HIGHLIGHTS.Remembering KayUnfortunately I missed the opportunityto say a farewell to Kay Easton in mycolumn in last month's Journal.If ever there was a person "bred" to bein greyhound racing it was Kay. Herfather George Rowley was a long-timetrainer, and a great trainer with dogs likeTravelogue and Gay Occa.I remember of Kay that she had awonderful sense of humour, quick wittedand always fun to be with. She loved to tella joke or listen to a joke.My late dad Perc also always soughtout Kay's company at a racetrack and theyhad a whale of a time.Kay and her husband Eric were likechalk and cheese, but they were partnersfor decades. The great dogs they had werea credit to their ability as trainers, andboth were ever so highly respected by theentire industry.I know for a fact, Eric will miss Kaywith all his heart. They were best mates aswell as husband and wife. We'll all missher.ABOVE: Malibu Gem streaks away to win a maiden at Casino. RIGHT: Anthony Bennettand Diane Sneddon with Malibu Gem.Anthony reckons he's proved his pointANTHONY Bennett doesn'tmuch care for what other peoplethink.If he did, neither he nor partnerDiane Sneddon, would havebothered to keep Malibu Gem.The daughter of Solid Ebony-Dancin' Nancy achieved a fewmilestones some weeks ago when shewon a Maiden at Casino forMundoolin based Bennett andSneddon.It was the bitch's first win, at her44th race start. She had turned fiveyears and four months a few daysbefore.The May 2001 whelp is a fawnbitch and much loved by Bennettand Sneddon. So much so that theykept her, and her only, whileAnthony battled throughmeningococcal meningitis in March of2004."The only reason we kept her wasbecause she was the only dog we hadduring the time I was in hospital,"Anthony told The Journal.Bennett spent nine days on lifesupport before resisting the dreadedillness.Malibu Gem is nothing special as arace dog.In fact, "Jackie", as she is knownaround home, is the only winner fromher litter."The only one to ever pass anotherdog in a race," said Anthony.But Anthony and Diane are ingreyhound racing for more reasonsthat just to win.They love it, and specially lovetheir dogs. Which is why Malibu Gemwas given a second chance."She was kept as a pet aroundhome while I was recovering," saidAnthony."But she started galloping aboutthe place and eventually we decided toput her back into training."When she finally won her maiden,over 411m at Casino in September,Anthony and Diane reckoned they hadproven their point."It was a fantastic thrill just to winthat race with her," he said. "Andnow she will probably retire."In all Malibu Gem has now wonone race and been placed nine times,eight of those at Casino.Anthony reckons the point heproved is that most people give intoo quickly, not just in greyhoundracing, but in life."Many people would think I ammad for keeping her this long, andsome would even have their usualchuckle."But we ride the bumps in lifeand just enjoy racing our dogs," hesaid.The majority of the Bennettgreyhounds are found homes whenthey retire.Some 15 enjoy life in retirementwith families throughout the southeast.As Anthony said, it might havebeen a lowly Casino maiden, but tohe and Diane, it was everything.The (November, 2006) Journal Page 30