Father Rick claims Group 3 Summer Six Hundy Final
New South Wales (NSW) middle distance star Father Rick proved his strength once more when he won the 2024 Gosford Summer Six Hundy Final over 603m at Gosford on Saturday night, February 3, 2024.
The 2024 Sir John Dillon Memorial winner added the Group 3 title to his accomplishments when he led all the way from box two, winning by 1.75 lengths in 34.36 seconds.
The four-year-old son of Fernando Bale and Lagoon Prissy was sent to the boxes as the $3.20 second favourite at leading greyhound betting sites.
Online bookmakers made the current track record holder, Like Wildfire (33.96), the favourite for the $25,000 to the winner final after the Rob Britton-trained greyhound gained an unlikely start from box one after the scratching of the 2024 Group 1 Golden Sands champion, Fahey's Magic.
2024 was the second running of the Summer Six Hundy, with the race gaining Group 3 status through the NSW GOBTA moving the race from Wentworth Park, where it was over 720m, and rebranding the Wentworth Park Gold Cup to the Summer Six Hundy at Gosford over 603m.
The Gold Cup was formerly a NSW National Coursing Association (NCA) race and was one of the premier staying races on the greyhound racing calendar, having first been run in 1966 over 790 yards.
The honour roll of the Gold Cup includes some of Australia's greatest stayers, including Zoom Top (1968 and 1969), Ragsie (1972), Miss High Lo (1974), Kongwak (1984), and National Lass (1986).
On Saturday night, Father Rick began quickly from box two and led the Group 3 field to the winning post for the first time in 8.90 seconds.
Has Ability was quickly in to stride from box six to sit in second early, while up-and-coming youngster Off The Richter was close by in third place.
Has Ability got within a length of Father Rick in the run, but the leader was far too strong going on to beat hard finishing Off The Richter by 1.75 lengths, with Has Ability fading for third a further length away.
2024 Group 3 Summer Six Hundy Final (603m) – Father Rick (34.36) T: Ray Webster
The win by Father Rick marked his sixth victory in his last seven starts, with the only defeat being to Fahey's Magic in the Group 1 Golden Sands final at Albion Park.
The purple patch of form is all the more remarkable as Father Rick was having his 78th race start on Saturday night.
The red fawn dog is owned and trained by the husband-and-wife team of Ray and Sharron Webster and has now had 78 starts for 28 wins and 20 placings, earning connections $252,135 in prizemoney.
Father Rick adds the Group 3 Summer Six Hundy title to his Group 1 Sir John Dillon Memorial (595m) win at Sandown in December 2023.
He also won the unrated Dapto Middle Distance Championship (600m) worth $25,000 to the winner in November 2023.
Father Rick ran second in the Group 1 Golden Sands (600m) at Albion Park in January, and ran third in the 2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup over 440m.
The son of Fernando Bale also made the final of the 2022 Group 1 Dapto Megastar, the 2023 Group 3 The Ambrosoli, and the 2023 Listed The Collerson, both at Wentworth Park over 520m.
Father Rick was handled by an emotional Sharron Webster, who revealed that Ray had been unable to attend after suffering a fall at home, requiring a trip to the hospital.
He was released and allowed to go home to watch the race just an hour before Father Rick's Summer Six Hundy victory.
“It's been an emotional day,” Sharron said after the dog's win.
“I'm just so happy that our boy won for him.
“He did it for Ray.
“Ray's okay, thank goodness.
“He'll be watching him.
“He'll have watched the race.
“He would just be so thrilled, and he really wanted to be here tonight, but obviously circumstances didn't allow it, but he's here in spirit,” said Sharron.
In the last six months, Father Rick has delivered tremendous results, with Sharron commenting that she thinks that the four-year-old still believes he's a pup.
“He's won so many big races lately, and he's four years old, but I think he's at his peak.
“To win this race is such a thrill,” Sharron stated.