Fozzy’s Boy, after kicking off his racing career with an 18 length seventh placing over 390 metres at Warrnambool back in early December last year, finally broke through for his first win at last Sunday’s Mount Gambier meeting.
Lining up from box four in the Carlin & Gazzard Maiden Stake (400 metres), Fozzy’s Boy quickly found the front. And to quote the race caller’s words, won by the length of the straight at what was his 27th race start.
Bred, owned and trained at Cudgee by Gary Hunt, the brindle dog is by Good Odds Harada out of Abalone Fozz – a winner of 15 races, $32,000 in prize money and two Warrnambool Greyhound of the Year awards for former Penshurst trainer Brendan Bunworth and then Hunt.
But as far as Abalone Fozz’s only litter had been concerned, according to Hunt he had reached a stage where he believed it highly unlikely any of the September 2022 litter would ever win a race.
“As it is, Fozzy’s Boy is the only one to have raced and no one was more surprised than me when he came out and won on Sunday by 7¼ lengths in 23.31 seconds,” Hunt said.
Meanwhile, at Geelong last week, Hunt had been successful with Fabulous Hudson, a son of Shima Shine and Fernando’s Glory. And after Fozzy’s Boy’s race one win last Sunday he had been hopeful of a double when Fabulous Hudson lined up in race seven, the Quickmix Concrete Group Stake (400 m).
Slowly away from box six, Fabulous Hudson quickly put himself into the race before finishing strongly for a three-quarter length second behind Rivia Umiko in 23.21 seconds.
For Simson husband and wife team Calum and Jaz Blake it had been a case of winning their second race at Tara Raceway with Rivia Umiko, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Rivia Bale – previously owned by the Dailly Greyhound Farms in Victoria.
As far as childcare worker Jaz Blake was concerned she had been in the right place at the right time after workmate Brooke Young had expressed a keen desire to become involved with a racing greyhound.
“So we made contact with Tom Dailly, who had been looking to move her on after having won a maiden race with her, and purchased the fawn bitch to race in partnership with Brooke,” said Blake.
Penny Pinto brought up her 10th win last Sunday when leading all the way in the first heat of the Robert and Janet Stafford Grade 5 series (512 m) and defeating Lakeview Heather by a half-length in 30.29 seconds.
The brindle bitch is a February 2022 daughter of Fernando Bale and Weeona Dotty – purchased as a pup by Penshurst owner-trainer John Burow who passed away prior to Penny Pinto hitting the race track.
Taking over her training had been fellow Penshurst trainer Brendan Casey who will have two runners in the final this week after Flax Mill ran a strong second behind Saint Finnie in the second heat.
Saint Finnie, a daughter of Bernardo and Saint Maddie, is trained at Glencoe by Dean Fennell for Peter Byrne of Koroit. And only a length separated the first and second-placed rank outsiders on the line in a time of 30.41 seconds.
And Fennell has kicked off the second half of the year in winning form after having trained 11 winners.
Flax Mill, a son of Aussie Infrared and Banjo Lass, was purchased as a pup by Casey and has now won five races and accumulated 18 minor placings in a 74-start career.
The Robert and Janet Stafford grade five series over 512 metres acknowledges a local couple who rarely misses a greyhound meeting at Tara Raceway. September’s grade six series over 512 metres will carry the names of Dean and Edna Fennell.