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 |