Team Tritton’s splash continues

By Adam Hamilton AN old marvel of Aussie harness took Team Tritton’s phenomenally successful North American launch to a new level. After two wins from their first two US runners last weekend, Shane and Lauren Tritton snagged another three wins from their next four runners. My Ruebe Star backed-up from her US debut win to repeat the dose, again at The Meadowlands on Saturday morning (NZ time). Their three-race winning streak ended with Ohoka Johnny finished third at The Meadowlands yesterday morning (Sunday), but Team Tritton bounced straight back for…

Wonder brothers go one-two

Simon Told Helen has beaten his litter brother Who Told Stevie in a sensational performance at Sandown tonight. David Burnett’s triple G1 winner crossed the finish line in a personal best 29.11sec, his fifth straight win. “What a machine he is,” RSN race caller, James Van de Maat said of Simon told Helen. “The wonder brothers go one-two. I think it’s fair to say he (Simon Told Helen) is the best we’ve seen since Fernando Bale, and he might even end up better.” Simon Told Helen has win 17 from…

GAP Pre-entry Assessments return to the norm

The Greyhound Adoption Program’s pre-entry assessments have returned to normal – albeit with social distancing protocols. GAP staff have returned to assessing greyhounds prior to their acceptance into the program. If a greyhound fails its pre-entry assessment, the dog must return home with their owner/trainer or to the person who brought the greyhound along. This differs from the recent situation, whereby GAP collected dogs and tested them at a later date, a system which was introduced in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. GAP is continuing to monitor the…

GRV CEO on why greyhound racing is “really bubbling”

GRV CEO Alan Clayton caught up with RSN Central’s Gareth Hall this morning to discuss the decision to revert back to accepting nominations from interstate greyhounds from 23 June. Mr Clayton said the timing was right and that it would hopefully attract “the best dogs we possibly can to our races” including the upcoming Bendigo Cup. With a selection of greyhound races being beamed into America from this week, Mr Clayton said greyhound racing is “really bubbling at the moment.” “We’re trying to spice the racing program up with initiatives…

Power primed for Meadows staying test

Boom staying prospect He Shall Power is striving to continue his rise to stardom when he heads to The Meadows for the first time on Saturday night. Despite winning only one of his four 700m assignments and with an unremarkable four from 20 overall record, He Shall Power has been tagged the next big thing in the staying ranks, largely on the back of an unlucky third in the Group 1 Sandown Cup. “He’s inexperienced of course but he’s got a very good motor,” said Pearcedale trainer David Crawford, who…

Golden win for Albert

Opportunistic Zipping Albert claimed the 2020 Jarrod Larkin Concreting Gold Rush Maiden final tonight at Bendigo at the impressive odds of $5. It was a victory that was filled with joy and sadness after the recent passing of Zipping Alberts mother Zipping Midge to cancer. Owned and bred by the Hallinan Hallinan Syndicate and trained by Karen Pitt, Zipping Albert showed patience and strength when winning the rich $10,000 to-the-winner final in a personal best time of 23.74 over the 425 metre distance. Litter sibling Zipping Tiffany was also in…

Houdini aiming for great escape in Winter Cup

Houdini Boy has quickly made a name for himself as an unreliable beginner, but he is one of the most exciting greyhounds in Victoria nonetheless. After just six starts in his career for three wins, he lines up in his biggest test to date, the $20,000 to-the-winner Trio’s Winter Cup on Saturday night (race 6 at 6.19pm). Last week in a Winter Cup heat, Houdini Boy shocked onlookers and his trainer Kel Greenough when he began midfield from box one. From there he encountered all sorts of interference before flashing…

King Colt may not have won a feature race or broken a track record but he’ll forever hold a special place in Victorian trainer Geoff Scott-Smith’s heart. Scott-Smith labelled King Colt a “real soldier” after announcing the ultra-consistent centurion’s fifth at Sandown Park last Thursday night would be his final racetrack appearance. Pakenham South-based Scott-Smith, who trained King Colt for NSW owner/breeders Glenn Starr and Tanya Nieuwendyk, made the decision to retire the son of the great Brett Lee after he finished unplaced at his last three starts at Sandown.…

Little Aussie battlers!

Marong owner-trainer Geoff Williamson epitomises the “little Aussie battler” colloquialism. Williamson, 60, is a hobby greyhound trainer and a real underdog in the sport. He was introduced to greyhound racing by a neighbour, Frank Flegg, and has been training greyhounds for 10 years but is yet to train a city winner. A gaming and bar attendant at the Bendigo Club entertainment, functions and hospitality venue, Williamson also hasn’t worked since late March due to the coronavirus pandemic. But he keeps persevering despite the odds being stacked against him. However, it’s…