Young Murchison trainer Tommy Wark will be striving to continue his climb through the ranks when the aptly-named Miss Tenzing contests Sunday’s heats of the Healesville Super Sprint Series (300m).
Miss Tenzing, a member of the very first litter 31-year-old Wark bred, is named after Tenzing Norgay, who famously accompanied Edmund Hillary on his historic conquest of Mount Everest in 1953.
And the superbly-related daughter of super sire Barcia Bale is fast making a name for herself, winning four of her first seven starts.
“I’m rapt with how she’s going,” said Wark.
“I’ve loved greyhound racing since I was a kid. I was born and bred in Seymour and used to help Alec Reid (GRV Hall of Fame member), which was a fantastic experience.
“I’ve got six race dogs and train out of Kevin Eyles’ property. I’m a concreter and about three and a half years ago I put up a shed for Kevvie, then I bought a pup and then I started helping with the dogs on the weekends.
“Now I’m doing more greyhounds than concreting!”
It was through Wark’s close association with Eyles that the golden opportunity arose to make his first foray into the breeding scene with Strawberry Field, which had already produced the likes of prolific winner Kraken Lightning (31 wins) and Group 1 finalist Kraken Flash.
“Kevvie had bred three litters with her and he asked me if I wanted to have a crack,” Wark explained.
“We went halves in the litter and there were four pups. Because it was my first litter Kevvie let me pick the first two and Miss Tenzing was the first one I picked – she really stood out.
“When she was younger she climbed one of the yards and cut her leg horrendously. That’s how she got her name and we’re going to keep using the ‘Tenzing’ name with our dogs from now on.
“My partner Stacey Evans, who works at the Shepparton Club, and I also bred a litter of 12 pups by Raw Ability – Kraken Rose, which are about seven months old. I might need Stacey to slow me down a bit!
“I’ve got a few mates that are right into the dogs now. I’ve probably got 20 mates that would buy a dog tomorrow but I don’t have the room to do it at the moment.”
With her four career wins having come at Bendigo and Shepparton, Miss Tenzing will make her first appearance down the Healesville straight, without the benefit of a trial, in the second of two heats of the restricted win Super Series, to jump at 11.48am.
“I haven’t given her a look at Healesville,” Wark said.
“I normally would but it just worked out that way this time.
“She begins good, so I’m hoping she gets a bit of clear room and can finish in the first four. If she qualifies for the final that’s when she’ll show her best. She’ll be miles better the following week.”
