Tuesday, November 20, 2018

While Paraphernalia has enjoyed a successful year at Tara raceway, winning 11 races – three more than any other greyhound – it wasn’t until last Sunday’s meeting that he finally joined long-time Greyhound of the Year leader Oh No Beta on 52 points.

This came about after the Jeff Guy trained 134-start veteran picked up one point when running third behind Springvale Alysa and Bereluke in the Produce Store Stake (512 m).

But before the day was over, Nicole Stanley’s Oh No Beta, at his 103rd start, had led all the way in the Trackside Meats Mixed Stake (400 m) to bring up his eighth win at Tara Raceway this year and pick up another four GOTY points.

And Robert Halliday’s Redda added further interest to the award last Sunday when successful in the South Eastern Hotel Stake (512 m), a win that saw him move into third spot on 49 points.

Redda has certainly been given plenty of chances to pick up GOTY points this year, having gone around 40 times at Tara Raceway, while Oh No Beta has raced locally on 29 occasions and Paraphernalia 20.

Discounting time-graded meetings, there are only five meetings remaining for genuine GOTY contenders to pick up points, Stanley now looking to be in the box seat to land a third successive title after Old Jock and Fiorelli Rose were successful in 2016 and 2017 with total points of 71 and 67.

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