Dave Wins Christchurch GRC Top Award
The annual awards season continues with the Christchurch GRC recently conducting their 2018/19 Greyhound of the Year awards dinner. It comes as no surprise to see the marvelously consistent 520m chaser Dyna Dave being named as the overall winner.
Pictured: Dyna Dave is captured here doing what he does best – winning Addington 520m races (pic Dave Robbie)
It was a stellar 2018/19 season on the Addington track for the Craig Roberts mentored, Brendan Wheeler owned class act. Obviously Dyna Dave also won the Middle Distance award – here are the details for his award which was closely contested section last season (2017/18).
It was a lot clearer cut this year with Dyna Dave being dominant 520m form. Honourable mentions are made to Bago Bye Bye and Opawa Hop. The middle distance category was dominated by Dyna Dave with his 16 race wins all in the top grade at Addington.
Dyna Dave’s highlights stake wise included his Amazing Chase win and second placing in the Christchurch Casino NZ Cup. His run of sub 30 second 520m wins including a best of 29.67s 520m run was often characterized by his coming from behind tactics which was a thrill to watch. Dyna Dave has started the new season where he left off by winning the National Middle Distance New Zealand final at Addington and running a brilliant third in the Aussie National final in Perth.
Outstanding short course sprinters raced at Addington throughout the year including the likes of Randy and Rocky Racoon, Nelso Allen, Our Dazzel and Pita Ramos. But the Sprint category winner this season with 14 wins and a second at Addington from 20 starts is Sheza Rippa. Unfortunately, that one Addington second was in the Group 1 Galaxy to Sir Duggie but she got her revenge on him by winning the Dash For Cash at Wanganui a month later. Sheza Rippa was raced by Punters HQ and trained by Jean and Dave Fahey.
The staying races have been evenly contested during previous seasons but this year the stayers were dominated by Dyna Weslyn. With six distance wins at Addington including the NZ Stayers Cup and Kingston Cup plus her 732m track record. Dyna Weslyn was the clear standout stayer who also won a couple in Australia and of course her biggest win came in the Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar (779m) at Auckland. Owned by Brendan Wheeler and trained by Craig Roberts Dyna Weslyn was named as the Christchurch Stayer of the Year.
The leading Dam throughout the season was Molly Paisley who is by El Galo out of Sophia’s Destiny and owned by Michael Cox with the progeny mostly trained by Jason Dunn. The leading performers for Molly Paisley were Bahama Queen Bookie Monster, Pita Ramos, Malaga Molly, Ketchikan Kim, Astrid and Forehand Raid.
It’s been a long time since John McInerney was not the Christchurch Greyhound Racing Club’s Trainer of the Year (by wins) at the Addington Raceway. In a tight contest all season Jean & Dave Fahey won this year’s local premiership with 199 winners. John McInerney trained 186 winners and Steve & Bonnie Evans finished third with133 wins. The Fahey’s top three contributors were Sheza Rippa, Opawa Hop, and Bago Bye Bye.
Craig Roberts was presented with Dyna Dave’s award by Janine McCook; Jean & Dave Fahey trained the Sprinter of the Year Sheza Ripper - seen here with Murray Wrigley; Jason Dunn accept the Dam of the Year award for Molly Paisley, seen here with Tony Hart – pics Melissa Roberts
The Christchurch GRC also presented monthly awards for the just completed season.
August Award: Craig Roberts started the season off with 3 winners on August 2 then he finished the month off brilliantly with 6 winners including a trifecta on August 30. The winners were Dissident and five Dyna Dogs namely Monty, Kushida, Weslyn, Elwyn, and Dave.
September Award: Steve & Bonnie Evans with 5 wins on 18 September including four heats of a NZRS Novice Series with Goldstar Whitey, Goldstar Renee, Goldstar Captain and Goldstar Sydney as well as Auros Advantage.
October Award: Janine McCook (nee Jopson) scored a double on 5 October with Sass Em Up and Another Cold One, which was followed by a trio of winners on October 9 with El Happy Jack, Epic Owen & Leanne’s Way. Two more winners followed on October 19, with Natural Echo and King Kali plus three minor placings. There was another double on October 23 with Super Stevie and Goldstar Liberty. A month to remember for Janine.
November Award: Jason Dunn trained a double on NZ Cup night with Pita Ramos and Bookie Monster. He did the same on 22 November with Ketchikan Kim and Bookie Monster and the next day next day he mentored Forehand Raid, Black Rounder and Business Ethics to victory.
December Award: There were no standout performers in December, so the club went left field with the December Award. This gentlemen has embraced the greyhound code and he ensure the mechanical and electrical aspects of our sport are kept in great condition. Graham Van Tongeren, the club electrician, was instrumental in the work involved in GRNZ’ s desire for an extended lure arm and his tireless work for the club makes him a worthy recipient of the December award.
January Award: Ashley Bradshaw with 4 wins on 10 January kicked off 2019 in great style. Ashley’s winners at this High Grade meeting were Torpedo Tuck, Ming Ming, Mohican Run and Wildebeest.
February Award: Jean & Dave Fahey with four wins during the clubs February 7 experimental Super 6 night and four wins on 26 February are the February winners. The dogs involved were Our Brad, Go Brat, Gem and Egomaniacal on Super Six night and Cry Lonely, Canya Sniper, Ester and Our Brad at the later meeting.
March Award: John McInerney scored five wins on a 12 race program on March1 to take that month’s monthly award. The winners were Punch On Buzz, Doomsday, Sozin’s Emperor, Homebush Boots and Nippa Martino.
April Award: Daniel Roberts with his small team scored a double on 25 April with Egomaniacal and Barge Bale and backed that up the next day with a win with Thrilling Watch. Up and coming young trainer Daniel Roberts wins the April Award
May Award: The master trainer Ray Adcock is the May award winner for his four wins and two minor placings from six runners on 17 May. The winners were Fickle Mistress, Student Loan, Ringside and Flora Dora.
June Award: Malcolm Grant trained the winner of five of the first seven races on 18 June and had no other runners for the rest of the program. Winners were Smash Out, Smash Surprise, Smash Calling, Smash Over and Smash Rebel. A great effort for Mal and his team.
July Award: Garry Cleeve had a great day on July 2 winning four races with Know Approval, Know Burden, Know Leave and Eternal Debt. Our last monthly award winner for the season is Garry Cleeve.
Christchurch GRC monthly award winners included (from left): Ray Adcock; John McInerney; Steve and Bonnie Evans - All Christchurch GRC awards pics supplied by Melissa Roberts – www.melissaleighphotography.co.nz
