Caption: Grafton club president John Corrigan (second from left) with all the placegetters after last year’s win by Vamoose in the Thunderbolt Final.

NSW News With GRNSW’S SIMON ORCHARD

JOHN Corrigan has been around the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club for more than 40 years and even he admits he’d never seen anything like it.

The mass of people on track during last year’s Ladbrokes Thunderbolt race series was a true spectacle and one the club president hopes to replicate in 2024.

“We had about 2200 people here last year and that’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen in this place,” Corrigan said.

“People couldn’t believe it. It created so much interest around town and as soon as it was done, the general public wanted to know when the next one was on. And a lot of younger people seemed to show an interest which is what the game needs.”

“I even found out the bloke painting my house the other day joined a greyhound syndicate after last year’s Thunderbolt. That’s the sort of impact the race is having on the area and it’s a great feeling that we’re getting a stranglehold up here in the Northern Rivers.”

And with the 2024 edition of the race steaming towards its Grafton-based final on June 16, several kennels have started mobilising their best hopes.

Sue Smith and John Miles will try and defend the title Vamoose won 12 months ago with Group 1 placegetter My Hepburn and 2023 finalist Johnny Red among their best hopes.

“The plan is to win it again of course. Our line has that brilliant early speed and great second sections. We got four through to the semi-finals last year and two made the final so we’re excited to have another go at it,” Smith said.

“And why wouldn’t we have a crack with My Hepburn? She’s such a great beginner so it was always in our mind to send her up to Grafton for some runs after the Ladies Bracelet (where she ran third behind Midnight Spritz).”

The 65-start ‘veteran’ enjoyed a week off following her tilt at the Bracelet before heading to Grafton where she trialled over 350m in 20.13 (first look) and then won her first race start in a BON 19.86.

“She needed to see the track because it’s a different layout and there’s a silent lure. She raced at Richmond a few months ago with the different lure and she missed it terribly in the Oaks heats and final so we knew she needed to see Grafton before the series,” Smith added.

“She’s just got to jump because if she can do that, she’s halfway home with her combination of speed and strength. But I wouldn’t right off Johnny Red either, they’re both in top condition and ready to go.”

Star mentor Peter Lagogiane will also have runners in the Thunderbolt for the first time in the history of the $75,000-to-the-winner event.

“We’ve already made a trip up to Grafton to trial. Sicario Beast went 19.70 and Nad Al Sheba actually went a tenth off the record (19.52 held by Rushforth Ally),” Lagogiane offered.

“I don’t think he (Nad Al Sheba) will go in it and I’m not sure which heats we will tackle with the rest just yet. Sicario Beast is a track record holder at Richmond but doesn’t mind Gosford. Armatree Cash likes both those tracks as well. And Marlee Star is just as fast as Sicario and is one who gets forgotten about. He hurt a hock and spent time off the track but we’re just bringing him back now and he goes good first up.”

The 52-year-old was also very taken with his first look at the updated Grafton facility.

“The track and its surroundings were very impressive. The staff did everything they could for us and bent over backwards to make sure we were looked after as well,” Lagogiane said.

“I’ve never had a runner in the Thunderbolt because the timing just never seemed right. To win the big races you need to see the track, you can’t just show up and expect to win against the best sprinters in the land who have seen the place plenty of times before.”

“We’ve never had a chance to do the homework. This year we pencilled it in two months ago, so we’ve studied up and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Grafton Greyhound Club CEO, Brendan Naidyoo, is also excited by the prospect of delivering a race series with strong local ties in 2024.

“We are trying to deliver an event with a unique Grafton stamp on it. Local products, local vendors, local caterers and local performers,” Naidyoo said.

“We’re trying to think outside the square to build on the product that we delivered last year but we need to consider the economic challenges of 2024 as well. We incorporated the live music into the race program last year which helped the crowd stay engaged and certainly drove an uptick in revenue and interest.”

“If we can get over 1500 people through the gates, I think the event will be a success. The race itself seems to be getting more traction, and for the first time this year, we’ve actually got a support race with an interesting tie to last year’s winner, Vamoose.”

“It’s a bitches-only race and the winner gets a full Vamoose service through Sires On Ice. It’s a unique sponsorship that carries the flavour of last year through to this edition of the race and it’s nice to see Sue Smith giving back to the industry.”

The 2024 Ladbrokes Thunderbolt semi-finals will be held at Grafton on Sunday June 16, with the final on Saturday, June 22.

Grafton band Country Mud will headline the entertainment offering alongside Eli Fahey.