November'07 - Greyhounds Queensland

HookwormalertA RECENT issue of the MedicalObserver published a report entitled“Hookworm Threat From Pets”.It stated: “A hookworm that canpotentially infect humans has beendiscovered in Australian cats and dogs”.The hookworm, Ancylostomaceylanicum is the only one of its kind thatcan cause human infection.It was discovered for the first time inAustralia during a study of dog and catparasites.Researchers from Murdoch Universityin Perth examined faecal samples from1400 dogs and 1063 cats.This research finding highlights theimportance of thorough cleanliness bygreyhound owners, trainers, and breeders– and their family members – whenhandling greyhounds, especially if regulardeworming with broad spectrumdeworming medications is not undertakenas a routine part of their kennelmanagement.As the hookworm eggs are spread inthe droppings of the infected greyhound,the normal yard cleanup after greyhoundemptying should be carried out wearingdisposable gloves, and the materialcollected must be disposed of in such away as to avoid personal, kennel, or yardcontamination.Fortunately, this species of hookwormcan be eliminated with the standardhookworm medication such as Telmintic,Drontal, Canex All Wormer, andequivalent preparations as recommendedby your veterinarian.NOVEMBER 3Maiden (420m) $265Novice Stayers (652m) 1-4 wins, $3854 x GRNSW Country Challenge Heats (420m) $385NOVEMBER 6 (Melbourne Cup day)John & Glenda Dart Maiden Heats (420m) $2655th Grade Heats (520m)NOVEMBER 10Maiden (520m) $265John & Glenda Dart Maiden Final (420m) winner$5005th Grade Final (520m) winner $500Tweed Valley Stake (520m) Best 8, $385GRNSW Country Challenge Final (420m) winner$3500NOVEMBER 172 x Maiden Heats (420m) $265Maiden (520m) $265Novice Stayers (652m) 1-4 wins, $385NOVEMBER 24Summer 5th Grade (420m) best 32 5th Grade, $385Coolangatta Stake (420m) Best 8, $385Stayers Mixed Stake (652m) 0-1 wins, $385Phone (07) 55364555 Fax (07) 55366894Gary ClarkNew South WalesFOUR months agoNeville Brown made a$5000 purchase for acountry short course dog tohave some fun with and“make a few killings”.That dog is Rex TheWeapon (pictured) who hadwon 11 races from 32 startsand had just come off fourstraight wins at Cowra anda track record run atGoulburn over 350m.“I knew he wasprobably going to be sentover to WA and I though hewas the ideal dog to have apunt on and travel aroundwith,” Brown told TheJournal.Rex The Weapon hadseveral wins up to 498m atForbes, an easy task on theplate shaped course, but hisreal brilliance was over 300-400m.Temptation got the better of Brownand he gave him a chance in town in lateJuly and after leading was run down inthe straight. He returned the followingDECEMBER 1Maiden Heats (420m) $265Maiden (520m) $265Summer 5th Grade Final (420m) winner $400Coolangatta Stake (420m) Best 8, $385Tweed Valley Stake (520m) Best 8, $385Stayers Stake (652m) 1-4 wins, $385DECEMBER 8Maiden Final (420m) winner $4104 x Summer Novice Heats (420m) 1-4 wins, $3852 x Xmas Stakes Heats (520m) 1-4 wins, $385Coolangatta Stake (420m) Best 8, $385DECEMBER 15Summer Novice Final (420m) total prizemoney $750Xmas Stakes Final (520m) total prizemoney $750Maiden (420m) $265Stayers Stake (652m) 1-4 wins, $385DECEMBER 22Coolangatta Sprint (420m) Best 8, $385Tweed Valley Stake (520m) Best 8, $385Maiden (420m) $265Maiden (520m) $265DECEMBER 294 x New Year Maiden Heats (420m) $265New Years Cup (420m) Best 8, $385 + trophyNew Years Cup (520m) Best 8, $385 + trophyNew Years Cup (652m) Best 8, $385 + trophyweek and the dog led all the way in slowtime but Brown had been able to get himto run 520m.Then in September and two runslater, Brown returned to short courseracing and “Rex” had easy wins atDapto over 297m and Nowra over 365m.It was a gamble but Neville enteredhim in the Group 1 Paws Of Thunderagainst the best.In his heat he was runner-up in a fast30.09 then led and got into a real battleover the final 200m with LeprechaunPace before a narrow loss.Ironically, it was that dog who cameout and won the final while Rex TheWeapon, after a fair break, was tossedaround early and never raised the hopesof an upset win.Many thought Rex The Weaponwould be the key to the final due to hisearly speed but never really got theLetter to the Editoropportunity.In pre-post markets 200-1 was betabout his chances of winning the final.“I took the 200-1 and 34-1 the place,you have to have something on at thoseodds, he owes me nothing,” Brown said.This was a far cry from the chasearound the countryside. A few monthsago it looked impossible but Rex TheWeapon and Neville Brown have reachedgreat heights and people noticed.For Brown it all started in the sportback when he was a kid, still at school.He went to school with John Spark’sson a trainer in Sydney’s south-west.Spark’s son was not all that interested inthe greyhounds but Brown was andspent many hours at his mates’ place notplaying cricket or football.“I couldn’t wait to get my trainer’slicense. I was 17 at the time. John Sparkseducated me with the dogs,” Brown said.After three decades in the sport,Neville had a break due to businesscommitments and eventually sold aLiverpool hotel to return to trainingfulltime.He has a 10-acre property inSydney’s south-west, which includessand runs, a 400m straight track andplenty of galloping runs.He has 14 dogs in work now but RexThe Weapon is the star of the kennel.“I will give him a chance at some ofthe one-turn cups in either NSW orVictoria and may even try him atSandown,” Brown said.Whatever the result in the monthsahead, it has been a smart purchase byBrown and “Rex” has taken his newowner to the dreams of his childhood.Dear Sir,I realise the greyhound industry is in a difficult position stemming from the Equine Fluproblem and measures must be taken to sustain the viability of the industry in the short term.I also would like to draw attention to the Board that we on this end of the spectrum are alsoin a unique position of being slugged for our basic essentials of meat, kibble, vitamins,vaccinations, vets, transport and PETROL.All at unbelievable prices.So it is with absolute disgust that we find that any cost cutting is aimed at a payment thatis or was in place to alleviate some of the burden of petrol and transport costs.Seeing we are providing a product as it is now called (it once was a sport) it’s logic to methat any savings should come from the top shelf.If the saving of $40 is required then why not $20 from first prize, $10 from second andthird respectively NOT from the poor bugger that is classified as a trainer with inferior dogs.Have you not yet realised that if we didn’t have these second rate dogs we wouldn’t havefields to run the class dogs with.And if we all had class dogs, again four of them would then become inferior. It’s like thebird that flew in ever decreasing circles until he flew up his own backside.If this industry is to suffer then the suffering should start on Thursday Night and end onThursday afternoon.Remember this unplaced payment came from the top prizemoney originally. This smacksof class DISTINCTION.Owen EdmondsThe (November, 2007) Journal Page 24