Caption: Former top racecaller Paul Dolan will be Master of Ceremonies on Vince Curry Maiden final night at Ipswich

By PAT McLEOD

There are few, if any, with more history and knowledge of the Vince Curry Memorial Maiden then Paul Dolan, so who better to be the Master of Ceremonies of one of the major highlights of the Ipswich Greyhound Club’s racing calendar.

Dolan, one of Australia’s most respected former greyhound race callers and an industry historian, will be ‘MCing’ the 2023 version of the world’s richest greyhound maiden on Saturday, February 4. This year’s prizemoney has reached a staggering $112,525 for the race with $75,000 to the winner.

The race was first run in 1985 and has been run every year (except for 1986).

Dolan was there for the first running and guesses that he has called at least half of the 36 Vince Curry Maidens since.

Now retired from race calling, Dolan said he will return to the club with a feeling of great fondness.

“I worked alongside probably eight different presidents at Ipswich and really enjoyed my time there. They were all very enthusiastic, dedicated greyhound people,” he recalls.

“Vince Curry night is a special night not only because of the event itself but also because it is the richest maiden race in the world. I’ve checked that out. I have checked with England and America and they don’t have anything near that prizemoney for a maiden.

“The fact that it is the richest race of its kind in the world makes it special and I think that attracts a lot of interest and people come because they know a lot of exciting dogs have won this race over the years.

“We only have to look back as far as last year – Ned Snow’s Shipwreck won the race and has gone on to be a very successful race dog.”

Dolan has his favourites as far as dogs who have won the Vince Curry. The best he rounds down to two – Token Prince in 1997 and Just The Best in 1999.

“Mick Abbott brought Token Prince up from New South Wales and he went through the four nights of the series undefeated. Token Prince won the final by four lengths over another budding star, a bitch named Heart Spark. There was a gap of seven lengths back to the third placegetter Solo Sailor. Token Prince’s deeds at stud are legendary and we first heard about him at Ipswich.

“Just The Best was the royally bred son of Credibility and Flying Amy and won the final by fourteen lengths. Paul Felgate’s excitement machine did that from box six and ran a race record of 29.76. The distance in those days was 512 metres, later increased to 520 metres. As a sire, Just the Best produced high class racers and stud dogs including Surf Lorian, Big Daddy Cool and Elite State. And Queensland and Australian Hall of fame bitch Bogie Leigh.”

And Dolan has a special place for one other Ipswich Maiden winner – Eira Gwyn, in 1993, because of who owned her.

“This bitch went into the final as a 33 to 1 outsider and landed the money from box three,” recalls Dolan. “Eira Gwyn was trained by Elaine Williamson. Why memorable? Eira Gwyn was raced by some of the staff of the Ipswich club, office and canteen workers primarily. The cheering was deafening and the celebrations went on into the wee hours of the morning.”

And why is this race named after Vince Curry, a legendary gallops racecaller, who never called a greyhound race?

As Dolan explains: “The reason is, that when the Ipswich club was attempting to obtain a Saturday night racing license in the early 1980s, the club had to be able to guarantee radio broadcasting to the TAB. Vince Curry, as sporting director of radio 4BC, went out of his way to ensure that this happened.”

So, on February 4, Dolan will again be at Ipswich soaking up the unique atmosphere of the Vince Curry Memorial Maiden.

“There is that special feeling of seeing a dog for the first time that goes on to greatness and in years to come you can say ‘I was there and saw it that night when it won and its first major race – the Vince Curry’,” he said.