Caption: Ross Work and his prolific winner Blazer Express
Each month Chase puts the spotlight on a person and/or their ‘best friend’ – a story that gives an insight into the true heart of greyhound racing. It showcases all that is good in this sport and is a monthly tribute to much-loved greyhound identity Daryl ‘Albert’ Gleeson.
By DAVID BRASCH
IN 2019, Ross Work was dabbling in breeding greyhounds, the pups being whelped out the back of his takeaway shop in Zeehan on the West Coast of Tassie.
Ross turned the vats on, went to unload a delivery of milk and came back to find the shop on fire. It was all Kiwi-born Ross could do to get his wife Yvonne out of the place.
“We lost everything,” said Ross. “It was lucky we were insured.”
The couple moved to Burnie, Yvonne went back to work, and Ross at 58 years old was facing a bleak employment future.
“I’d had success with the dogs we had bred,” said Ross.
“We had raced some very good dogs like Capra Ross (17 wins).”
It was then that Yvonne said to Ross he should start training his own dogs.
“I said to her, I don’t know how,” said Ross. Yvonne was having none of that.
Ross had been in Tassie since 2007. In that time he had embraced greyhound racing and had got to know plenty of the faces of racing in that state.
“By 2019 when the shop burnt down, I’d become great friends with trainers like Blake Pursell, Anthony Bullock, Butch Deverell and the likes,” he said.
“I had got a bitch called Sadi’s My Lady to breed with. She was unraced and had a wrist problem.
“I worked on it and worked on it and started putting her up the straight.
“That led to a trial and by December 29, 2020, I was ready to give her a start at Devonport … my first runner. She won.
“Then she won her next start as well.”
Ross set himself goals.
“I mentioned to Blake I wanted to train 20 winners in 2021 and finish in the top 20 on the trainers’ premiership,” said Ross.
“Blake said I should set realistic goals.
“I trained 21 winners and finished 21st.”
Sadi’s My Lady would win seven.
When the start of 2022 came around, Ross was looking to set himself goals again. He trained 18 winners and finished 23rd on the premiership.
He and Yvonne now live on an acre and a half at Oldina just south of Wynyard on the north west coast of Tassie and Ross leases an extra acre from a neighbour.
He now has five in training and a couple of litters of pups, one by Aston Duke-Gala Bale being educated and another eight months old by Bernardo from Sadi’s My Lady (Fernando Bale-San Tan Maid).
Those in work include prolific winner Blazer Express, Rip On Bye, Old Ecca, Velvet Queen and a newcomer called Off The Lead.
Blazer Express won the last race on a Friday meeting at the now closed Devonport track.
Ross admits he loves greyhound racing and training, loves the fact his family has embraced them as much as he, but admits it can be difficult at times.
“Driving to the Devonport meetings now at Hobart on a Tuesday, I leave home at 5am and arrive back at 9pm,” he said.
Ross, who turned 61 in January, arrived from New Zealand in 1986 to have a look around Australia.
He went to Tamworth, moved on to Emerald, Gladstone and then to Tassie.
“I saved the best to last,” he said. “It reminds me so much of New Zealand. I love it here.”
He remembers buying his first dog back in New Zealand when he was 16.
“I was also at the first ever meeting to form the committee to start greyhound racing at Hattrick,” he said.
“Fred Kite was there as well and Fred is still going strong in the game back in New Zealand and he must be in his 90s.
“His daughters are training now.
“I came from New Zealand to spend 12 months here having a look around. I haven’t been back.”
Ross remembers thinking when Sadi’s My Lady won her first two race starts and Ross was an unbeaten trainer ‘how easy is this’.
He soon came to realise losses are part and parcel of the industry as well.
But, Ross Work came into greyhound racing after a major loss, the Zeehan takeaway shop that burnt to the ground.
It gave him an entry into greyhound racing and he has not looked back.
