Author: Editor BOAY

Desert Flame’s burning Distance desire

Editor BOAY

Young gun Gippsland trainer Kate Gorman has her fingers crossed the enigmatic Desert Flame turns up in the right frame of mind for Sunday night’s GRV Vic Bred Distance Series Final (650m) at Sale. While Desert Flame, which is owned and bred by Gorman’s father, Dennis Pulis and wife Bronwyn, has drawn Box 1, has an impressive record at Sale and should be suited by the longer journey, Kate isn’t getting carried away about her prospects. “She’s a funny dog,” said Gorman, who’s based at Tanjil South. “Everything needs to…

Fantastic Raven feathers Victorian nest

Editor BOAY

Superbly-bred sprinter Fantastic Raven (pictured above, courtesy Kurt Donsberg Photography) has certainly done her fair share of ‘migrating’ over the course of her 33-start career, starting her career in NSW, before ‘winging’ it to South Australia, Western Australia and now Victoria. A daughter of the great Fernando Bale and Fantastic Dotty, which holds the Dapto 520m record, Fantastic Raven has found her way to Briagolong trainer Matt Clark and the G1-winning mentor is excited to have the ‘frequent flier’’. After relocating from WA, Fantastic Raven was beaten at her first…

Sadness as media guru Mick Floyd bids farewell

Editor BOAY

One of greyhound racing’s greatest promoters will farewell our sport this evening, when Mick Floyd winds up his career at Sandown Park. Having started at Sandown in 2005, Mick has seen plenty of change, and he has been instrumental in growing the sport’s radio, digital and social media presence, while also significantly increasing the profiles of events such as the TAB Melbourne Cup and the innovative Speed Star concept. “The professonalism of the sport as a whole has been one of the big things that has changed,” Mick told RSN’s…

Daily Mail: Fernando Bluey set to sizzle at Sandown

Editor BOAY

Group 1 Australian Cup runner-up Fernando Bluey has been firing on all cylinders since returning from a break and he’ll be striving to continue that form when he headlines The Watchdog’s Must Watch race of the day at Sandown Park. Fernando Bluey (22 from 41 – 4 of past 5) will need to be ‘on song’ from Box 8 when he faces Invictus Rising (4 from 5 Box 1 – 4 from 9 Trk/Dst), Earn The Answers (14 from 40 – 3 from 5 Box 4) and Nikoli Bale (10…

Yvonne Andrews is ‘Grassroots’ to the core!

Editor BOAY

Kilmany greyhound stalwart Yvonne Andrews, 77, has been at the coalface of the sport since childhood. She’s also earned a healthy respect for an unwavering attention to canine husbandry. Yvonne recalls being a youngster regularly accompanying her grandparents, Frank and Eva Ray, to greyhound race meetings. “I remember huddling around warm braziers at Olympic Park on cold wintry nights … And I was always surrounded by greyhounds at home. “In the old days, we also went to coursing meetings in a furniture van with everyone sitting in the back compartment…

Daily Mail: Collinda Patty’s on the clock!

Editor BOAY

Middle distance sensation Collinda Patty will be the main attraction at Wednesday afternoon’s meeting at The Meadows, where she looks set to continue her sensational recent form, despite dropping back to the sprint trip. Trained by Jason Thompson, Collinda Patty (5 from 13) has created a huge impression in winning her last two starts, both over middle distanced, breaking former superstar Dyna Double One’s long-standing Sandown Park 595m record, before a last start victory in the G3 Speed Star (600m) match race series at The Meadows. While Collinda Patty is…

Buddy’s ‘paua-ful’ Warragul 400m TR

Editor BOAY

“Buln Buln East Bullet” Paua Of Buddy became the first greyhound to officially go under the magical 22-second barrier over 400 metres at Warragul last night. Trained by Steve White, Paua Of Buddy ($1.20F) led all the way from box eight to score by a massive 11.14 lengths and establish a spellbinding new track record – 21.999sec. Ironically, he shaved around one length off the previous mark – 22.073sec – jointly held by his older half-brother and kennelmate Paua Of Oscar (March 24, 2020) and former star Aston Bolero (August…

GRV Board confirms $5.3million new prize money distribution

Editor BOAY

The GRV Board yesterday decided on a prize money allocation distribution that includes a 12% increase to Metro and Provincial base prize money, supports the payment of fourth place, and upgrades a selection of Preference to Maiden race meetings from Level 3 to Level 2 status. The Board’s decision comes into effect as of 1 October this year. Form Guides and FastTrack will not display fourth place payments for up to a month, as changes are made, but payments will be made. “The Board decision followed consideration of 1866 responses…

Traralgon’s J-Curve – the risk is all in the science

Editor BOAY

Increasingly as a society we are being urged to “believe the science” – whether it be climate change or Covid-19 vaccinations. But there is no more evidence of the belief in science than Greyhound Racing Victoria’s commitment to racing safety and welfare with its world-first, J-Curve track at Traralgon. When the first greyhounds chase the Safechase Lure around the new track later this year, the punters will not know how much detail has gone on behind the scenes of this unique track. In 2018 GRV and the Traralgon Greyhound Racing…

Daily Mail: Buddy’s ‘Paua-packed’ Warragul return

Editor BOAY

Great anticipation surrounds the return to racing of exciting prospect Paua Of Buddy at Warragul on Tuesday night. Trained by Steve White, Paua Of Buddy (5 from 8 – 4 from 5 Warragul 460m) hasn’t been seen in action since July 30, when he ran a close second to two-time G1 winner Qwara Bale in a heat of the G3 Warragul St. Leger. That’s an excellent form reference for tonight’s Grade 5 event, albeit over the 400m short-course, with The Watchdog tagging the half-brother to Warragul 400m record holder Paua…