TEN YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 2013:
ERNIE BUNG ARROW, trained locally by Ken Gill, wins the Adelaide Cup by five and a half lengths for the first prize of $75,000. Victorians Tomac Bale and Ronan Izmir ran the placings.
PAUL STUART of Miata fame lands the Top Gun with Dyna Nalin who strolled home by three lengths over Peter Rocket and Xylia Allen. First prize was $150,000.
REGAL LAURYN, owned by well-known Ipswich identity Len Antonio and trained by Tony Brett, romps home in the $40,000-to-the-winner Lismore Cup. Edge and Battistuzzi were the placegetters.
TWENTY YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 2003:
WINSOME SHOT, trained by John Finn, wins the Paws of Thunder by a neck over Tawari Tess. It was the second running of the Paws of Thunder with that name. The race was known as the NSW St. Leger until 2001.
LION HEARTED, trained by Kirin Corby, wins the SA Derby. Regal Ricky and Regal Jasper were the placegetters.
CLIMATE CONTROL, the $1.80 favourite trained by Seamus Graham, wins the Irish Greyhound Derby worth $150,000 Euros to the winner. Climate Control was by English/Irish stud dog Larkhill Jo. There was Australian influence in the placings. Roanokee sired second placegetter Mustang Mega. Third home was Maryville Rumble who was by Smooth Rumble.
THIRTY YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 1993:
ALBION PARK has been racing for eight months since the transfer of Brisbane’s main track from the Gabba. People attendance hasn’t been as high as predicted or hoped. However one positive is the reduction in the number of toe injuries with the greyhounds now racing on sand/loam rather than grass.
TOBAN LEAH, a rising star trained by Dave Brett, wins the first running of the Queensland Puppy Classic at Albion Park. Toban Leah’s time of 30.12 isn’t fast by today’s standards. But racing at that time was conducted on a newly constructed track and the 30.12 stood as a race record until Short Model won in 30.09 eight years later.
TROJAN TEARS, a magnificent stayer trained by Tony Zammit, wins the first Stayers Interstate Challenge at Albion Park, running 42.06 for the 710 metres distance.
