Monday, April 29, 2019
Allendale East greyhound Dyna Naitch, a $17 outsider, scored a surprise win in Sunday’s Ivor Dowdell Memorial final (400 m) over short-priced favourite Springvale Alysa ($2.10).
Trained by David Peckham, the son of Surf Lorian and Crystin Bale was mid-field early but finished powerfully in the home straight to run down Springvale Alysa and the early leader Bushman’s Bro, a $26 chance.
A city winner at The Meadows and Sandown Park, the red brindle dog, in Peckham’s kennels since January, has now won two races at Tara Raceway for Adelaide owner Dwayne Jiggins who was previously involved in harness racing.
This was the third running of the Dowdell Memorial, Lektra Excess successful in 2017 and Galactic Viper last year.
As far as Ivor Dowdell was concerned, no one really knew whether he was actually the world’s oldest licensed greyhound trainer.
But when he trained his last winner, He Gone, on September 11, 2015 at Tara Raceway at the age of 93 there weren’t too many disputing Mount Gambier’s claim.
He died in February 2017, not only remembered as the world’s oldest greyhound trainer but also as one of the sport’s real gentlemen.