Stormy Day upsets kennelmates in landmark win for Sharp family
Unheralded greyhound Stormy Day took out the 2024 Group 1 Harrison Dawson final at Sandown on Thursday night, May 16, for the Sharp family, but it wasn’t the result Jason Sharp-trained result punters were hoping for.
Lara trainer Jason Sharp had the enviable position of starting three greyhounds in the $100,000 Harrison Dawson feature, with his most fancied greyhounds being the +100 favourite Morton and Afire, who was the the +210 second favourite.
In the end, though it was “third stringer”, Stormy Day, who was the second longest price in the race, paying +3560 on greyhound betting apps, who led all the way to steal the $100,000 to=the-winner feature final.
Stormy Day, who is not long out of restricted win racing, is a litter brother to the 2024 Group 1 Gold Bullion winner at Albion Park, who was Harrison Dawson favourite, and ultimately third placed Morton.
Bred, owned, and trained in the same interests as Morton, Stormy Day was contesting his first black-type final, after only making it as far as the semi-finals in the Group 3 Launching Pad at Sandown in March this year.
That race series was the only other attempt at group or listed class racing for the son of Tommy Shelby and Chloe Louise.
Although unwanted in greyhound betting for the Group 1 final, Stormy Day was able to spear over from box six and take the lead heading through the first corner over Flying Zulu.
From there, the 29-kg brindle dog made every post, holding off a late charge from Flying Zulu to win in 29.29
Flying Zulu chased valiantly throughout to finish second, just 0.16 lengths from the winner, while Stormy Day’s litter brother Morton finished third, 2.01 lengths from the winner.
The Sharp kennel also netted fourth place with race second favourite Afire, giving them three of the first four greyhounds across the line, and scoring $137,500 in prizemoney in the process.
2024 Group 1 Harrison Dawson – Stormy Day (29.29) T: Jason Sharp
Stormy Day has now had 23 race starts for six wins and nine minor placings.
The Harrison Dawson $100,000 first-place prizemoney has grown Stormy Day’s career to $132,685 for owner Darrell Heathcote and his Low Flying syndicate.
The key to Stormy Day’s upset win might be found in his liking for wide box draws, having won four of his six career wins from boxes 6, 7, and 8.
In his 23 start career, he has drawn those three boxes 13 times for four wins and five placings.
The Sharp family now adds a second Group 1 title to their training resume after winning their first with Morton earlier in the year.
2024 Group 1 Harrison Dawson
2024 Harrison Dawson Results Sandown 515m Group 1 $100,000 to-the-winner Thursday, May 16, 2024 29.29
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|
| 1st |
6 Stormy Day
T: Jason Sharp 29.29 – $100,000 +3560
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| 2nd |
3 Flying Zulu
T: Jason Thompson 29.30 0.16 lengths $30,000 +1070
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| 3rd |
2 Morton
T: Jason Sharp 29.43 2.01 lengths $15,000 +210
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| 4th |
1 Afire
T: Jason Sharp 29.48 2.73 lengths $7,500 +100
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| 5th |
8 Smooth Plane
T: Tom Daily 29.51 3.17 lengths +1780
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6th |
4 Launch Code
T: Brooke Ennis 29.72 6.24 lengths +920
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| 7th |
7 Here Comes Artie
T: Des Douch 29.95 9.46 lengths +1230
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| 8th |
5 Follow The Band
T: Bec Gibbons 30.05 10.87 lengths +5890
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