Greyhounds will have an added incentive when they line up in the final of the Peter Rocket Damsels Dash on Thursday night.
Peter Rocket, renowned as one of the more popular stars of recent years, was an 11 time Group race finalist, collected multiple Group race victories and earned $328,880 in prize money.
“You could nearly call him the complete package,” said co-trainer Lisa Hellmuth.
Peter Rocket was a regular in top grade racing, he matched it with the best for two years and produced many highlights throughout his illustrious career.
“The Dapto Megastar is the one that stands out, not so much the final but the prelude he had to run to get a spot in the final.
“That was probably the one race where he showed what he could really do – he didn’t have his box and he’d never been to the track – you don’t see many greyhounds that have never been to the track and do what he did.”
The following week Peter Rocket lined up in the final that featured some of the country’s most talented chasers – Proven Nitro, Punch One Out, Double Twist and Glen Gallon. Peter Rocket proved too good, holding off the strong Glen Gallon to collect his second Group race triumph.
“Another race that stands out to me was when he went to Wentworth Park for a heat of the Golden Easter Egg. It was his first interstate trip and I remember walking out onto the track and thinking ‘the track just didn’t seem as wide as Sandown’,” Hellmuth laughed.
“He came out and won in 29.52, I was just in shock that in his first look at Wentworth Park he could run a time like that.”
One thing that stood out over his 67 career starts was his consistency and superior strength, however Hellmuth believes his true speed was something that punters never got to see.
“No one actually got to see what times he could run because he wasn’t brilliant out of the box. He lost a bit at the start trying to get to the lead, but some of the times he trialled in, he could of easily broken track records, he was unbelievably quick.”
Peter Rocket’s impressive racing career promises a long and successful career at stud.
“I can only hope we get another like him, anyone that gets a dog like him would be a once in a life time greyhound – you just don’t get them chase as hard as he did.
“He suits a lot of bloodlines – I spoke to a lady from a company that transports straws, she said ‘all types of bloodlines would suit Peter Rocket’.”
The winner of the Peter Rocket Damsels Dash (race 6) will receive a $12,000 first prize and a free service to Peter Rocket.
For more information on Peter Rocket at stud, contact Lisa on 0438 463 678.
Click here for Peter Rocket’s career form.
Click here for Peter Rocket’s pedigree.
Click here for your free Watchdog guide for Thursday night.
Peter Rocket wins his heat of the 2013 TAB Melbourne Cup.
