Bushfire Benefit Greyhound Debuts At Bendigo Tonight
A greyhound auctioned to benefit Victorian Bushfire victims will make his race debut this afternoon at Bendigo, in the capable hands of Darren McDonald.
Named after McDonald's son, Ned's Pedro was auctioned for the Kinglake Football and Netball Clubs last weekend, will start tonight in Heat 10 of the Made To Size, Rocky Ridge Farm Gold Rush Maiden tonight at 6:28pm.
Champion greyhound trainer Darren McDonald donated a half share in Ned's Pedro to the bushfire affected sporting clubs, which sold for $14,500 at a special gala fundraiser dinner at Crown Palladium.
The half share was purchased by Lara greyhound training couple Tina Womann and Dennis
Trewin, who are delighted to leave training duties to McDonald, who owns the other half share.
Although Womann and Trewin have been involved in greyhound racing for some 60 years combined, their ownership in Ned's Pedro will provide them with a different experience as he'll be the first greyhound they have raced in Victoria that they aren't training themselves.
“We're happy to leave Ned's Pedro in Darren's capable hands for his entire career. We'll just sit back and enjoy the ride. We've sent a handful of dogs we've owned before to a trainer in Tasmania, but we've never had one trained by someone else for us in Victoria”, Womann said.
Womann, one of Victoria's leading greyhound trainers, said the couple's decision to invest in Ned's Pedro isn't just because they think he'll be a successful race dog. They also wanted to give something back to the Kinglake community, which was devastated by the Black Saturday bushfires.
“It's so difficult to comprehend what happened with the bushfires. To think of the people that died and those that lost their houses is unbelievable. I also think of all the animals that would have died…so much would have went on that no one will ever know about and it's nice to contribute something to them”, she said.
Ned's Pedro, a 23 month old son of Where's Pedro and Somerton Lass, is sure to develop a cult following throughout his racing career. He is rated a $2.00 pre-race favourite from Box 8 in Race 10 at Bendigo tonight, which is a heat of the Rocky Ridge Farm Gold Rush Maiden series over
430 metres.
Incidentally, Saturday night's fundraiser dinner raised $100,000 for the Kinglake community, and Ned's Pedro wasn't the only greyhound sold that contributed to the total. A greyhound pup, whose breeding is Kiowa Sweet Trey ~ Hermione Holly, sold for $6000.
[…] Trewin and Tina Womann got an instant return on their investment when Bushfire Benefit auction greyhound Ned’s Pedro streeted his rivals on debut at Bendigo […]
[…] half share in Ned’s Pedro recently went for $14,500 at an auction to raise funds for the Kinglake football and netball teams, and he made a pulsating race debut in a […]
[…] And it’s a case of karma revisited for leading Victorian trainer Darren McDonald as he unselfishly donated half of Ned’s Pedro, the gryeyhound he named after his own son; to benefit Victoria’s Bushfire survivors at Kinglake. […]