Greyhound racing’s greatest females

As the fastest female chasers in the country converge on Sandown Park for the world’s richest race for females – the $145,000 Group 1 Macro Meats Sapphire Crown – we asked AGRA Media Officer, Sandown Director and lifelong greyhound buff Neil Brown his thoughts on history’s five greatest female chasers.Do you agree with his list? Give us your opinion in the comments below!

The undisputed number one for sheer versatility could do anything, anywhere over any distance.

Zoom Top raced 136 times for 68 wins, 25 seconds and 14 thirds. She won an Australian record $59,032 in prize money, or in today’s terms, over $600,000. Zoom Top raced on 27 different tacks, winning on 24 of them. She set or equalled 15 track records, won races over 292 metres to 795 metres, and won from every box – including boxes nine and ten at Richmond when the club raced up the straight.

Zoom Top made 17 of the 21 major finals she contested, winning 11. Those wins included Wentworth Park Gold Cup (twice), Association Cup (twice), Richmond Oaks, Dapto Silver Collar, Sydney Cup, Summer Cup, NSW St Leger, Olympic Park Distance Championship, and the NCA Cup at Sandown.

Still the best ever.

Not the greatest of box dogs but mustered quickly and was as strong as a bull when in front rarely got run down – if ever.

In a race career that spanned 55 starts and produced 38 wins, she retired on 28 May 1992 as Australia’s highest prize money earner with $294,565. At her peak between November 1990 and May 1991, she won six major finals including the Melbourne Cup (by seven lengths from box five), the XXXX Trophy (by 10 lengths, again from box five, the Adelaide Cup (by seven and half lengths from box one), then the Golden Easter Egg (by five lengths from box four). All four majors were won in the best time of the night.

The champ returned to Melbourne to win both the Honda Trophy and Schweppes Cup. She astounded a large crowd at Sandown two weeks in a row recorded seemingly impossible times, running 29.89 in a solo trial between races, then running 29.93 a week later. Many believed that no greyhound could break 30 seconds on the old Sandown track, an opinion shared by trainer Doug Ferremi – “I think she’s a freak.”

Among her many awards and victories, “Josie” is one of just two greyhounds outside North America to be selected by the World Greyhound Federation as one of the world’s best eight greyhounds, for their performances in 1990.

Renown for her tenacious chasing ability, Tenthill Doll could lead a top class field of sprinters, or give them a start and run them down. Her Australian Cup and Golden Easter Egg wins had to be seen to be believed, coming from an impossible position down the back straight and storming to incredible victories.

Tenthill Doll’s statistics emphasise her greatness. From 56 starts, 31 wins, 10 seconds and seven thirds and retired with the Australian prize money record with $382,660. She raced well on all tracks but had an outstanding record at her favorite track Wentworth Park, recording 16 wins and seven placings from 26 starts. She joined the New South Wales elite Zoom Top, Winifred Bale and National Lass all Hall of Famers by winning two NCA Greyhound of the Year awards in 1995 and 1996, in both those years she recorded the fastest time recorded over 520m at Wentworth Park.

‘Sally’ is the only greyhound in history to hold three metropolitan track records concurrently, setting the mark at Wentworth Park (29.92), Sandown Park (29.65) and Cannington (30.67). She was also the first greyhound to win three Group 1 events in succession – the Golden Easter Egg, Perth Cup and Australian Cup, while Tenthill Doll was also runner-up in the 1995 Melbourne Cup, Top Gun and Bob Payne Winter Stake.

In what could have been a fairy tale end to her career, she raced for the last time in the 1997 Golden Easter Egg, finishing sixth. Had she run first or second, Tenthill Doll would have retired as the world’s highest stake winning greyhound..

Very special sprinter who beat the best of her time, recording four Group 1’s in three states.

Bogie Leigh notched 41 wins, 12 seconds and five thirds from 68 starts in a stellar career that saw her reach 13 Group race finals.

Her Group 1 successes include the Golden Easter Egg, the Australian Cup, Brisbane Cup and Sapphire Crown, as well as the Group 2 Queensland Futurity and Group 3 Lismore Cup (in track record time). She was also a finalist in the Group 1 Brisbane Cup (2nd), Group 1 Topgun (6th), Group 1 Winter Carnival Cup (2nd), Group 1 Adelaide Cup (3rd), Group 1 Topgun (3rd), Group 3 The Temlee (5th), Group 3 SA Interstate Challenge (2nd).

At on her beloved home track of Albion Park, Bogie Leigh won 29 races with five seconds and two thirds from 38 starts. She amassed $488,335 in prize money, which at the time placed her second all time behind Rapid Journey. Bogie Leigh raced for the last time in an emotional farewell Albion Park on December 16, 2004. She was chasing a fairytale ending to her illustrious career – a second consecutive Group 1 Brisbane Cup – however finished second behind NSW star Malfoy.

From a different era, but with a record like hers she must have been some sort of race dog.

She set an amazing 20 track records during her career including the time standard at Harold Park, Wentworth Park, Newcastle (three times), Maitland, Gunnedah (five times), Tamworth (three times), Dubbo (three times), Young (twice) and Lithgow.

Macareena was whelped in June 1951 and raced until April 1957, retiring at the age of five years and 10 months with an amazing tally of 95 race starts for 50 wins and 32 minor placings. So comprehensive was her domination during 1954, many rival camps refused to nominate their dogs against Macareena unless their charge was given a six or eight yard head start under handicap conditions. Simply, they had resigned themselves to defeat.

Two iconic figures in the sport rated her the best they had seen. Jack Woodward (the editor of the Greyhound Recorder for 25 years) rated Macareena as the equal of Zoom Top citing her remarkable winning strike, while legendary owner, trainer and breeder Rod Deakin once said she was the best bitch he ever saw race.

Sandi’s Me Mum, Flying Amy, Lizrene