Muscle man Chris is the pick of the field

Caption: Chris Field is still a regular at greyhound tracks in northern NSW. (Photo: Lisa Vanderstok)

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

CHRIS Field is 73, lives in Grafton and is still living the greyhound racing dream.

But these days he is living the quiet life despite having a pup called Field Day he believes could be the best he’s had his hands on for decades.

“Everyone” knows Chris Field.

No, he hasn’t had greyhounds of the year, Golden Easter Egg winners, superstars the whole world would know.

Everyone knows Chris because, since he was 20, he has been keeping greyhounds sound.

Chris is what greyhound racing knows so well as “a muscle man”, those who can find problems with racing dogs, an art form he has picked up from the best and perfected.

“I first got into dogs when I was 15,” said Chris. “A mate, Paul Foreshaw, and I used to catch the train from Engadine to Central and head to Wenty.

“We’d done that a few times, loved it and decided to get a dog of our own. We bought two pups for $30 each from Mick Rooney. They were by Prince Warcroft.

“The bitch we named Valiant Heath, named because Paul owned a Valiant and I lived at Heathcote. Lionel Walsh trained her and she won 14 races.”

By this time, Chris was an apprentice glazier and he stayed mates with Lionel.

“I used to go over to Lionel’s place each afternoon to walk his dogs for him.”

When Chris decided to start training himself, he needed to get dogs checked over, as everyone did and still do.

“I first got to know Harry Cooper who had a vet practice at Gladesville,” said Chris. “It was Harry (of TV fame) who first suggested to me that I get to know the art of checking dogs.”

Chris liked the idea and over the next few years started to pick the brains of so many of the experts in the trade to give himself knowledge of what would be a career move.

“Dave, Jack and Steve Irwin, Ron Bowen, Reg Hoskins, I went to them all,” said Chris. “Dave Irwin was my idol because he would tell me what I wanted to know and show me what I should know.”

By this time Chris was 20 and at the peak of his trade he was checking over between 30 and 40 dogs a day, seven days a week.

“On Mondays I’d be at Dapto, Tuesdays at Rossmore, Wednesdays at Bargo, Thursdays at Appin, Fridays I tried to have the day off, but trainers would turn up at my home at Wilton, Saturdays would be at Badgerys Creek and Sunday at Appin again,” said Chris.

“The most I ever did in one day was 52.

“I used to check over dogs for Tony Lockett and told him Collision was the one even when he was a pup. Tony didn’t like him early because he used to pee in the kennel. He got over it.”

Lucky for Lockett.

Twenty years ago, Chris Field’s mate Bernie Burns approached him about heading to Ireland to share his skills.

“Bernie had a few dogs in Ireland and he wanted me to go over there to show his mates how we check dogs in Australia,” said Chris. “I was there for a couple of months and found everyone so friendly, so welcoming.

“We went all around Ireland, England and Scotland.

“I even went catching hares for the live coursing. We’d get 120 just to run one coursing meeting. I even got to sample potcheen (the potent Irish drink).

“While in Ireland I went to an Irish Derby final and it was something else. The atmosphere was amazing. The roar from the crowd as the lure starts up is incredible.

“They asked me to come back but I declined.”

Bernie then tempted Chris a few years later to head to New Zealand for a similar educational trip.

“I went to see John McInerney’s kennels and he had 130 in training,” said Chris. “In one race meeting at Addington, he had 46 runners. They had to take them to the races in three buses.

“I met up with Brendan Cole and he was really just starting out. He had 27 in work at the time, but obviously now has a massive operation.”

Brendan came to Australia later and spent time with Chris to learn the trade of checking over greyhounds.

A decade ago, Chris moved to Grafton but his worth to the Northern Rivers was quickly accepted.

He laments that so many of his original Northern Rivers clients are now out of the industry.

But he has also been a teacher while at Grafton.

“Bronwyn Bates came to me wanting to learn the trade,” said Chris. “She would come to my place four days a week and stayed four years. We would trip around to Casino, Lismore, Ballina.

“But Bronwyn ended up moving to Coolmore Stud where she looks after the preparation of yearlings. She was exceptional.”

These days Chris has all but scaled down. He’s 73, has 11 dogs of his own on his property at Grafton and Field Day is as promising a dog as he has had.

“I’ve had some nice dogs over the years,” he said. “The best was probably Swift Pick, one of the very first dogs I ever trained myself.

“He was Mister Moss-Swift Diane and it was back in 1972. I took him to Mudgee and thought he would be even money but they bet 7-1.

“That dog won enough for us that day to buy two new cars.

“I went out and bought a new Holden Kingswood for $3200.”

Chris’s checking of dogs is regulatory.

“I start at the back muscles and work my way forward,” he said. “It usually takes about 10 minutes unless something is very wrong.”

He says if a dog is at peak fitness it rarely gets injuries.

“That’s why I like to let my own dogs gallop every single day,” he said. “I will take them out individually and put them on the straight track and let them do their thing.”

He has been keen to help now 18-year-old Holly Taylor, a recent addition with her family to the Northern Rivers.

“I met her a few years ago and all she wants to do is train greyhounds,” said Chris. “I gave her a lot of books I had that might help her.

“She is mad on greyhounds.”

As a mentor, Holly could have none better than Chris Field.

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