Trainer Dave Condon and 1992 Brownlow Medallist Scott Wynd hope to chalk up another Healesville success when littermates Superior Wallis and Superior Digby contest Sunday afternoon’s Puppy Championship Final (350m).
Devon Meadows-based Condon and Western Bulldogs great Wynd forged their rapidly-expanding greyhound racing partnership with 2011/12 Healesville Greyhound of the Year Jess Umbridge.
Condon believes that in time Superior Wallis, impressive winner of five of his nine starts, with each of his victories coming up the straight, could be the dog to deliver what would be a fairy tale Healesville Cup victory.
However, in the immediate future, he rates “second stringer” Superior Digby as his strongest chance in Sunday’s Puppy Championship (race 6 to jump at 12.19pm).
“We’re going to have a lot of fun in the New Year with Superior Wallis,” said Condon.
“He’s had issues with his box manners but he’s starting to mature and I think in January/February he’ll be breaking 19 seconds at Healesville comfortably.
“If Superior Wallis had drawn one or two on Sunday I don’t think anything would have beaten him.
“He’s drawn six, which is disappointing because I picked this race out a few months ago, but I still think we can win it with my second stringer Superior Digby.”
Superior Wallis, which like all the Wynd family’s greyhounds has a Western Bulldogs-related name, won his Puppy Championship heat in 19.36s.
WATCH: Superior Wallis win his Puppy Champion heat from box two last week.
The football theme continued with the other heat winner, Tiger Time, trained by Kevin Ward, which clocked 19.33s.
“We love racing at Healesville and our dream is to win the Healesville Cup,” Condon explained.
“Out of each litter we pick one dog to leave at Healesville and Superior Wallis is probably the best suited to Healesville in this litter but Superior Digby is a frontrunner and I wouldn’t underestimate him on Sunday.
“Scott (Wynd) and I have built up a great partnership. Scott and his wife Jodie have invested a huge amount in greyhound racing and I’m really excited about where we’ll be going over the next few years.
“Scott has purchased another property so we’re going to have three properties; our new racing operation, which has just got council approval, our adoption farm, we re-home all our greyhounds, and our current training and rearing property.
“I have 20 greyhounds in work at the moment. Scott and his family own 16 of them and I also train four for Ray Borda. The plan is that in 2021/22 I’ll be training full-time.
“Scott names his dogs after the Western Bulldogs and he’s banned me from naming them after Carlton players!
“My mother Joyce is 83 but we couldn’t have a better leader of our operation. She’s still the leader. She starts at six in the morning and doesn’t come back in until five in the afternoon! My brother Doug is also a great help.”
