This Week in Racing History
JULY
9
All Home became the first greyhound to win four races behind the mechanical lure in Australia when the brindle and white dog scored over 480 yards (439 metres) at Epping (Harold Park) in 1927. All Home (The Dickens x Glanee) won by a head in 28.1 and had earned £39 (about $78) in prize money from his four victories.
High Intensity defeated great rival Bold Trease by a length in the 1987 McKenna Memorial final at Sandown Park, running 43.49 for trainer Joe Hili.
10
Brilliant sprinter True Vintage annexed the 1987 Launceston Oaks from Tania Glass and Good As Diamonds, running a fast 30.05 and earning $1,200. The field was reduced to just six starters after two finalists were scratched due to kennel cough.
Moonambel Gem set a race record 30.22 in winning the 1997 Laurels Classic (515 metres, Sandown Park) by five and a half lengths from Riverslea Rose with Fiery Sal third.
11
The Moss Vale track was reopened in 1953 after being closed for some time for remodelling.
Doris Lee downed Tachycardia and Trevenson to win the 1985 McKenna Memorial, the last one run over 718 metres. The distance was shortened to 716 metres for the following year.
12
The Gawler greyhound track opened for the first time, in 1971. Racing was held over distances of 580 and 820 yards.
In a $5,000 winner-take-all match race run on a heavy track over 502 metres at Launceston in 1980, Highland Summer downed Sam Spur by a length and a half in 30.24. A week earlier, Highland Summer had defeated Sam Spur in the Tasmanian Derby. In the heats of that event, Sam Spur had broken the Launceston track record, running 29.80, but then Highland Summer had lowered that to 29.75.
13
Steelflex, trained by Allen Wheeler, took out the final of the 1974 National Derby at Wentworth Park (530 metres), leading all the way to score by a head from Tientsin Tosca (who would later set a track record for the 530 metres trip) with Lord Venn three lengths away third. The race was only Steelflex's third official start.
14
Bunyip Bint, one of the fastest yet most erratic greyhounds to have ever raced in Australia, won her last race, in 1970. As usual, when she decided to actually concentrate on the task at hand, she scored easily, winning by 10 lengths over 800 yards at Harold Park.
Rank outsider Rushin Moss led all the way on a heavy track to take out the 1973 National Derby over 580 yards at Wentworth Park, holding off Dusty Trail to win by three-quarters of a length with Woolley Wilson a length away third.
15
Lord Galaxy became the fifth sprinter to equal Roman Earl's 580 yards Wentworth Park track record time of 30.8 (set five years earlier) when he scored in 1972.
Victorian Takbe Flash became the third interstate greyhound to win the Young Star Classic (580 yards, Wentworth Park) in its six runnings when he took out the 1978 version, defeating the likes of future topline sprinter Manly Lion and leading stayer Gini's Choice.
Flash Of Light became the first winner of the McKenna Memorial when it was run over the new distance of 595 metres at Sandown Park, in 2010, defeating Pulp by almost two lengths in 34.24.