Month: June 2020

Veteran trainer’s significant milestone

Editor BOAY

After being bitten by the racing bug before he was a teen, Alf Spiteri is still going strong, recently training a double at Bendigo with his only two greyhounds. Today he celebrates his 80th birthday. If there’s a life story that needs to be told, Alf Spiteri needs to think about who is playing him in the movie. It’s a story of persistence, patience and enduring love for the dog. A story that embodies the spirit of the greyhound trainer. It spans 62 years of training dogs from 80 years…

Query over Britton’s star-studded Healesville hand

Editor BOAY

Healesville experience or lack thereof is Jeff Britton’s major concern ahead of Sunday afternoon’s Super Sprint Series (350m) – Race 8 at 1.39pm. Britton will be making a rare visit to Healesville to chase a $3000 winner’s purse with group race performers Mepunga Maggie (Box 2), Weblec Ace (Box 6) and Flossing (Box 7), with only Flossing having race day experience at the straight track venue. He’s hoping class and strength in numbers will offset a shortage of local knowledge. “I think it’s very hard to beat the locals at…

Take a bow, Simon!

Editor BOAY

Racing rivalries are pure theatre – in any sporting discipline. And in that respect lead acts Simon Told Helen and Tiggerlong Tonk put on a command performance in a Gr8 Eight (525m) at The Meadows tonight. And, as the curtain was drawn, it was Simon Told Helen who received the ‘bouquets’. Australia’s No. 1 sprinter and triple Group 1 winner, Simon Told Helen was clearly the protagonist shortly after the lids opened. However, Tiggerlong Tonk (Box 2) had the better at box rise before the superior early and mid-race pace…

Start key for Doctor Tim

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner Stepping away cleanly is the biggest challenge for Doctor Tim, a pacer in the zone ahead of Friday night’s feature pace at Addington. The Geoff Dunn trained 6yr-old showed he has emerged from lockdown in brilliant style by backing up an excellent trial win with a tough effort for second to Dadndave at the track last week. Doctor Tim only went down by a head margin to the winner after working hard three-wide in the open from the 600m. Doctor Tim starts from the front line in…

TAB possibly worst run business in New Zealand

AAP

by Brian de LorePublished 5th June 2020 If you have a successful business you’re looking to run into the ground and send broke, the New Zealand TAB has almost completed writing the perfect blueprint, but don’t call its helpline for the recipe because it’s become famous for providing no help. In fact, the helpline at the TAB has brought to light numerous recent stories of the phone ringing unanswered or operators arguing with disgruntled punters rather than appeasing them, and even hanging it in their ear. Punters consulted to write…

Smooth as Scotch

Editor BOAY

Megastar greyhound Hooked On Scotch sounded an ominous warning to his group racing counterparts with a stunning victory at Shepparton yesterday. He’ll certainly be a force to be reckoned with as he ultimately chases a third G1 win in the forthcoming Brisbane Cup series (520m) at Albion Park. Hooked On Scotch was contesting only his third race start since a near-record breaking win in a heat of this year’s G2 Warragul Cup (460m) on January 3. Trained by Jason Thompson, Hooked On Scotch ($1.60F) exploded from Box 8 but was…