CAPTION: Cyndie Elson’s now-retired Cosmo Bill in one of his many wins at Albion Park during a 219-start career. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

By TERRY WILSON

THE grand old dog of greyhound racing in Queensland, even Australia for that matter, is hopefully settling into life as a retired canine.

Churchable owner-trainer Cyndie Elson pulled the pin on the career of Cosmo Bill after the son of Cosmic Chief-Regal Silver had an incredible 219 race starts.

Happy to let the light fawn dog say goodbye to the tracks, Cyndie has put her kennel mainstay through the Greyhounds As Pets program and at edition time for Chase last month, the old marvel had found a happy couple to see out his days with.

“I figured there were too many up and coming dogs,” she said of her decision in early May to retire ‘Fred’ (kennel name).

Whelped on September 6, 2014, Cosmo Bill made his race debut on March 12, 2016 in a Maiden heat over 331 metres. The dog ran sixth.

Many starts later Cosmo Bill ran his final race in an Albion Park Fourth Grade over 331m when he ran fourth on April 4.

Cosmo Bill won 71 of its 219 starts, was runner-up 35 times and ran third on 24 occasions. Total prizemoney was $145,152.

That record of longevity adds up to a courageous, consistent money-spinner for the Elsons.

“Yes, he contributed a lot to the Elson racing operation” said an admiring Cyndie, who admitted ‘Fred’ was one of her favourite greyhounds and is glad to see her top dog go to a nice home with a retired couple.

“Of course he was one of my favourite greyhounds but I reckon he was getting to the stage where he wasn’t interested (in racing) anymore,” she said.

Cosmo Bill raced up to the stage of seven years and seven months of age and almost eclipsed the record of 2000s wonder Green Lizard, who had 223 starts for 64 wins.

There is a claim that a greyhound named Baron Ridgeside, who raced in Tasmania and was trained by Viv Berresford, was winning races when aged more than seven years (84 months). This was apparently in the 1950s.

But records are not available of those greyhounds raced most of the time at city tracks, as was the case of Cosmo Bill.

Whatever, we have seen one of the modern-day greyhounds in Cosmo Bill, who built up a remarkable number of statistics.

His 219 races covered a total distance of 87,870 metres, amounting to a total of 87.87 kilometres chasing the bunny.

Most of the dog’s races were at Albion Park – 94 over the 395m and 70 over the 331m plus 41 over the 520m.

Cosmo’s last win was at the Creek over 331m on December 26.