2016 Year in Review


Much like the rest of the sporting scene, 2016 was a year highlighted by the ‘battler,’ or in greyhound racing terms, the hobby trainer.

The autumn carnival saw all three group 1 events won by trainers that claimed their first success at the highest level of the sport. Stephen Creighton with Narralee in the Sapphire Crown, Geoff Scott-Smith with Dundee Osprey in the Harrison-Dawson, and Gerry O’Keeffe with Bells Are Ringin’ in the Sandown Cup highlighted a memorable month of May.

In November, Wayne Vassallo claimed his second Bold Trease and fifth group 1 overall when It’s A Bird capitalised on a favourable box draw, while the TAB Melbourne Cup was taken out by Jason Mackay’s exciting chaser Ando’s Mac. Ando’s Mac’s win, his second at group 1 level, ended a 16 year drought of interstate trained greyhounds claiming the world’s richest race, and was also the first in 15 years to win from box 5.

Sandown Park’s 5 group 1 winners in 2016

 

The fastest greyhounds in the country again showed their wares at Sandown Park – Blazin’ Bomber (Bill Collins Speed Star), Dundee Osprey (Speed Star) and Zambora Brockie (Shootout) showed their brilliance in their unique Sandown event.

In all, Sandown conducted 21 feature races which were won by 19 different greyhounds and prepared by 16 different trainers.

The only greyhound to win more than one feature was the versatile Dundee Osprey. Combining strength with speed, he reached eight Sandown features in 2016, winning three. His average winning time over 515m was a stunning 29.24 seconds!

Two track records fell in 2016. 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Dyna Double One stepped up to 595m and broke Bobby Boucheau’s 5 year old record, running 33.63. Six weeks later, Unlawful Entry timed the start perfectly to break Bekim Bale’s 515m record when he clocked a dazzling 28.951.

The fastest time recorded over the 715m was Burn One Down, running 41.365 in a heat of the National Distance Championship in August. Burn One Down also recorded the fastest ever 715m run at a SAP meeting running 41.404, as well as the fastest ever 515m run when running 29.156 and winning by 18.5 lengths when breaking through for his maiden win.

While fast times were recorded throughout 2016, the average winning time over 515m at city meetings was slower than in 2015. The average winning time of 29.623 was 0.051 slower than the average winning time in 2015. At Sandown provincial meetings, the average winning time was 29.829, or 0.023 slower.

While the hobby trainers excelled at the highest level, the professional kennels still won their share of races. Robert Britton prepared 122 winners at the track in 2016 and won connections $691,458 – the most in both categories.

Of the 779 individual trainers who raced at Sandown Park, 508 won a share of the $8,341,625 that was won in 2016. 19 won at least $100,000, 27 at least $50,000, and 117 at least $10,000. Jason Thompson led the way in terms of strike rates, winning 29% of the races his greyhounds contested, narrowly ahead of Jackie Greenough. Geoff Scott-Smith, Brooke Ennis and Glen Rounds also logged winning strike rates of 25% or more.

A total of 2311 individual greyhounds combined to make 9270 starts contesting 1198 races at Sandown Park through the year, with 701 (30%) winning, and 1266 (56%) earning prize money.

Sandown Greyhound Racing Club thanks all trainers, owners and punters for their support of the club throughout 2016, and we look forward to many winners in 2017!

 

2016 at Sandown Park – by the numbers

Meetings 101
Races 1198
Starters 9270
Prize money $8,341,625
Individual greyhounds 2311
Individual winners 701
Individual placegetters 1299
Most prize money won Ando’s Mac, $432,000
Individual trainers 779
Winning trainers 299
Most wins (trainer) Robert Britton, 122 wins
Most prize money (trainer) Robert Britton, $691,458
Highest strike rate Jason Thompson, 29%
Fastest wins 515m 28.951 (Unlawful Entry, track record)
595m 33.63 (Dyna Double One, track record)
715m 41.365 (Burn One Down)
Average winning times SAN 515m 29.623
595m 34.332
715m 42.085
Average winning times SAP 515m 29.829
595m 34.593
715m 42.3
Public trials run 7890 (+20.53%)

 

 

2016 Sandown Park feature winners

Status Race Dist Winner Trainer
Listed Maidment Memorial 595m Moreira Jason Thompson
Listed Australian Sprint 515m Polijuice Potion Lisa Cockerell
Group 2 Launching Pad 515m Buck Forty Jason Thompson
Listed Easter Gift 515m Dalgetty Jason Thompson
Listed Bill Collins Speed Star 515m Blazin’ Bomber Darren Pattinson
Group 3 Racecallers 595m Zipping Kane Carolyn Jones
Group 3 Lizrene 715m Wind Whistler Angela Langton
Group 1 Sapphire Crown 515m Narralee Stephen Creighton
Group 2 Harrison Dawson 515m Dundee Osprey Geoff Scott-Smith
Listed Cup Night Sprint 515m Both Sides Now Angela Langton
Listed Cup Night Stayers 715m Mepunga Rosie Jeff Britton
Group 1 Sandown Cup 715m Bells Are Ringin Gerry O’Keeffe
Group 2 McKenna Memorial 595m Bruce Tycoon Rob Britton
SE Speed Star 515m Dundee Osprey Geoff Scott-Smith
Group 2 Shootout 515m Zambora Brockie Anthony Azzopardi
Listed Cup Night Sprint 515m Shima Song Andrea Dailly
Group 1 Bold Trease 715m It’s A Bird Wayne Vassallo
Listed Cup Night Middle Distance 595m Dundee Osprey Geoff Scott-Smith
Group 1 Melbourne Cup 515m Ando’s Mac Jason Mackay
Group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial 595m Star Torana Shaun Evans
Group 2 Laurels Classic 515m Up Hill Jill David Geall

 

Mick Floyd
About Mick Floyd - Mick is the Racing and Media Manager at Sandown Park and has 15 years of experience in the sport. He has a finely tuned talent for finding three legs of a quaddie. You can follow his ramblings on Twitter - @mickfloyd
View all posts