Anthony Flores is daring to dream this Thursday night when the only two dogs he has in work line up in feature events at Sandown Park.
Anthony Flores with Amity Flame after winning the LizreneHurricane Isaac will line take on some of the country’s best sprinters in the final of the $145,000 Group 2 Harrison-Dawson final, while recent Lizrene winner Amity Flame will take its place in the heats of Australia’s greatest staying race, the RSN Sandown Cup. It’s an achievement the 65 year old great grandfather never thought he’d accomplish.
With retirement looming, Flores decided to end a 10 year hiatus from the training ranks and purchase a couple of pups advertised in his local area.
“They were $900 each, that’s all I paid for them,” said Flores of his chasers that have now gone on to collect almost $65,000 in prize money.
“I liked their mother (Amity Rose). She had won or been placed in over half of her 86 starts which shows she was consistent over a long time, so that’s why I decided to buy them. That, and they were cheap!”
Flores reared his new pups on his 65 acre farm in Yinnar South before sending the sons of Paddy’s Flame to Rosedale to be broken in. The early reports gave no indication of what lay ahead.
“They only broke in reasonably and it’s taken them a long time to learn what it was all about. Paul Andrews (who broke them in) said they’d win races, but I certainly never thought they’d be competing in Group races. I did think Amity Flame could be a good stayer though.”
Flores’ judgement proved sound when at 22 months of age and at just his 10th career start, Amity Flame came from last to defeat a quality field in the Victoria Cup (699m) at Cranbourne in February. He had a couple of setbacks after that run before returning to the winners list two weeks ago in the Lizrene – defeating group race winners Destini Fireball and Proven Impala in the process – to give Flores his biggest win yet.
“When you see on your dog go past some of the best stayers in the country, it gives you such a thrill. I couldn’t sleep that night.
“You can’t compare it to having kids and your family achievements and the like, but the adrenalin rush couldn’t be better. And that was for a $15,000 (to the winner) race – for a $100,000 race you’ll have to have an ambulance on standby!”
Sandown Park may need that ambulance on stand by this Thursday night when Flores’ second greyhound, Hurricane Isaac takes his place in the Group 2 Harrison-Dawson final. Hurricane Isaac, a four time winner on the track, jumped moderately in his heat but railed through strongly in pursuit of early leader Nico Bale. And for a few strides, Flores thought he had a winner.
“It was the strongest field of the night, and looking at it beforehand I thought if I can run fifth I’ll be happy. Nico Bale led by about five or six lengths but when he (Hurricane Isaac) went to the rails I thought ‘I’ve got this.’ But then I saw the champ (Glen Gallon) go around him, it was pretty exciting.”
Regardless of the results on Thursday, Flores has already exceeded his expectations.
“When I started again I didn’t think I would be racing in the city against the champions. There aren’t too many sports where a retired bloke can spend a couple of hundred bucks and go racing for $100,000 – I just hope my nerves hold out!”
PAW NOTE: Hurricane Issac will jump from box 6 in the Group 2 Harrison-Dawson (race 6), while Amity Flame will jump from box 2 in race 3 on Thursday night.
