Peter (Stan) Wardle – owner-trainer of 1994 Australian Cup and 1994 Golden Easter Egg winner Mancunian Girl – has passed away, aged 83.
A true gentleman of the sport, Wardle lost his battle with dementia on Wednesday, June 8.
Born on June 29, 1938, the proud ‘Mancunian’ spent his childhood days only a decent cover drive from the Old Trafford Cricket Ground and a goalkeeper’s saving dive from England’s most famous soccer club, Manchester United.
In fact, Wardle played for the ‘Red Devils’ during the late 1950s.
By his own admission, he was no Pele or Maradona. But Wardle – who migrated to Australia in 1965 – really ‘cracked one right into the back of the net’ in another sporting arena.
And, ironically, it was another ‘Mancunian’ which took Wardle to the top of the greyhound racing tree.
Mancunian Girl gave Wardle every reason to ‘walk on with hope in his heart’ after some heavy disappointments in greyhound racing.
The first greyhound he trained, Mighty Mokuma, was equal pre-post favourite with eventual winner Odious in the 1976 Australian Cup. But he was eliminated in the semi-finals amid controversial circumstances.
“They say it’s a business and you shouldn’t get too attached to them. But I love her.”
But 18 years after his Australian Cup shock, Wardle had the MGRA’s most valued trophy in his hands courtesy of Mancunian Girl which broke the race record.
And Wardle, a former pastry cook, was quick to thank two men – highly respected breeder and long-time close friend Eddie Baumgartner and canine chiropractor Mick Marlow – who played an instrumental role in ‘putting the icing on the cake’.
Baumgartner suggested Wardle lease Mancunian Girl’s dam, Raheen Star, from Chiltern breeder Carlos Ramos.
Raheen Star was superbly bred being by 1985 Victorian GOTY National Star and out of 1984 Victorian GOTY Sheila’s Teresa.
Additionally, a couple of months after Mancunian Girl’s Australian Cup win, it was Marlow who performed a miracle to get her to the Golden Easter Egg final, let alone win it!
Mancunian Girl’s swansong was the 1994 Topgun, where she finished seventh to New Fox.
At the time, Wardle informed that Mancunian Girl had contracted a virus and vomited her evening meal on three consecutive nights.
“Sometimes you can get too greedy, but she’s far too precious,” Wardle said.
“They say it’s (greyhound racing) a business and you shouldn’t get too attached to them. But I love her.”
Wardle and his wife, Margaret, bred four litters with Mancunian Girl which produced 2000 Australian Cup finalist Brookside Red. Other handy performers were Mancunian Way, Mighty Mancunian and Amico Mio.
And Sound The Alarm (a reserve for the 1998 Australian Cup) was another racetrack star for Wardle.
Pearcedale’s Justin Illman, who became a very good friend of Wardle’s after rearing some Regal Blaze pups for him, said he was a “lovely fella” and an “absolute gentleman”.
“Stan was like a father figure, and I learned a lot from him… He was extremely knowledgeable.
“Even after retiring from the sport, he used to come with me when I was trialling or racing.
“And he became a ‘second grandfather’ to my son, Jack, who turns 18 in November.”
