It wasn’t all that long ago that the Gawler Greyhound Racing Club honoured the Tony Hinrichsen trained Filthy Phantom by naming a race after him and making a presentation to acknowledge his 300 race starts.

But when the son of Lochinvar Marlow and Ruby Swift turned seven years of age on April 29 – and his record stood at 345 starts for 38 wins and 124 minor placings – Greyhound Racing SA made the call that “enough was enough”.

“I’ve always said that Filthy Phantom would tell me when it was time to call it quits,” said a disappointed Hinrichsen, who also bred the litter.

“I reckon throughout his whole career, which commenced at Strathalbyn over 416 metres on December 22, 2017, he was only ever vetted on three occasions. And recently he underwent a thorough veterinary check and received a clean bill of health.

“Look, I’m well aware that his racing career is just about over but as far as Filthy Phantom is concerned I’d just like him to go out on his own terms.”

As things stand at the moment, the oldest greyhound believed to have raced in SA is Trevor Hendry’s Green Lizard whose last race start was on May 22, 2004 at Port Augusta at the age of 86 months.