2020 SA Greyhound of the Year - Sir Truculent
The 2020 SA Greyhound of the Year was Sir Truculent for trainer Wally Harkins which was announced at a Gala Event held at Angle Park on Saturday night.
SA’s staying star Sir Truculent was voted the winner with 31 votes ahead of a stellar line up of sprinters that included Coorong Lucy (21 votes), Shadow Mist (20 votes), Major Major (17 votes ) and Golden Night (16 votes). Sir Truculent is SA Bred and Owned by his trainer Wally Harkins with is residence based at Reynella, only 20 minutes South of Adelaide. Wally only trains one racing greyhound and has Sir Truculent’ s half-sister at home ready to race in the coming months. Sir Truculent’s exploits on the track in 2020 were outstanding with 28 wins and 11 placings from his 46 starts, with $145,350 in prizemoney. He dominated the local staying ranks winning the State Final of the SA Distance Championship, the Premier’s Cup and the Staying Cup all over his beloved 731m journey at Angle Park along with the State’s premier middle distance event, the Shane McQueen over 600m. He competed interstate with great heart running second in the Group 1 Bold Trease at Sandown and fifth in the Group 1 Topgun Stayers at the Meadows in Victoria.
Wally advised on the dais that Sir Truculent’s previous owner wanted to sell him early last year as the dog was getting back in his races and finding a lot of traffic however “the Truc” had more than paid his way and he was happy to sell. The offer was for only $2,000 so Wally quickly bought him himself and the rest is now history with almost $150,000 in the bank and the SA Greyhound of the Year title to his name. Sir Truculent will compete in the Listed Gold Cup Final at Albion Park on Thursday night whilst in the care of QLD trainer Tony Brett. He will then head to Melbourne for their big staying events where Wally will be reunited with Sir Truculent once again.
2020 TAB Greyhound of the Year
SIR TRUCULENT
2020 Starts 46-1sts 28, 2nds 8, 3rds 3
(Worm Burner x Establish)
(SA Bred) Owner – Wally Harkins
Trainer – Wally Harkins
2020 Prizemoney $145,350
Greyhound of the Month – June & November
Won heat & final Stayers’ Cup
Won heat & final Shane McQueen Feature
Won final State National Distance Series
Won Premier’s Cup
Second in final of Group 1 Bold Trease (2nd in heat)
Second in final of SA Distance Championship (2nd in heat)
Fourth in Group 3 Fireball (4th in heat)
Fifth Group 1 TOPGUN Stayers
Won 6 races in a row, 5 races in a row & 4 races in a row
Over 731m – 36 starts for 25/6/3
Best Times: 42.66 (731m Angle Park), 34.91 (600m Angle Park), 34.57 (600m Meadows)
Voting:
SIR TRUCULENT – 31 votes
COORONG LUCY – 21 votes
SHADOW MIST – 20 votes
MAJOR MAJOR – 17 votes
GOLDEN NIGHT – 16 votes
2020 SA Bred Greyhound of the Year
SIR TRUCULENT
2020 SA Distance Greyhound of the Year
SIR TRUCULENT
2020 SA Sprinting Greyhound of the Year
COORONG LUCY
2020 Starts 25-1sts 19, 2nds 0, 3rds 2
(Worm Burner x Molly Be Nimble)
(SA Bred) Owner – Cameron & Yvonne Butcher
Trainer – Cameron Butcher
2020 Prizemoney $89,700
Greyhound of the Month – January, February & May
Won final Murray Bridge Oaks
Won listed SA Sprint Championship final (3rd in heat)
Won heat & final SA St Leger
Won heat listed Murray Bridge Cup (5th in final)
Won heat, semi final & final Group 3 Howard Ashton
Won heat of Group 1 Adelaide Cup (6th in final)
Fifth heat Group 3 Gawler Cup
Won 7 races in a row & 5 races in a row
Best Times: 29.46 (515m Angle Park), 34.75 (600m Angle Park), 21.88 (388m Angle Park), 25.42 (455m Murray Bridge)
2020 SA Short Course Greyhound of the Year - (For greyhounds raced in events up to 400m)
AIR MARSHALL
2020 Starts 15-1sts 11, 2nds 2, 3rds 1 (Short Course)
(Banjo Boy x Aunty Chopper
(SA Bred – Les Stewart) Owner – Ray Murray
Trainer – Ray Murray
2020 Short Course Prizemoney $11,895
Gawler 400m – 6 starts for 5 wins, 0 placings
Murray Bridge 350m– 2 starts for 1 win, 1 second (won heat State Straight Track Championship – 2nd in final)
Murray Bridge 395 - 2 starts for 1 win, 1 third
Angle Park 388m– 5 starts for 4 wins, 1 second (broke the 388m track record running 21.81)
Won 7 races in a row
Best Times: 21.81 (388m Angle Park- track record), 22.58 (400m Gawler), 18.74 (350m Murray Bridge), 22.50 (395m Murray Bridge)
2020 Sennachie Award of Excellence
(Inaugural – SA Bred and predominately SA Owned which raced with an Interstate trainer for 2020)
WEBLEC ACE
2020 Starts 27-1sts 9, 2nds 6, 3rds 2
(Kinloch Brae x Weblec Rose)
(SA Bred – Jane McNicholl) Owner – Neville Loechel, Jeff Weber & Gavin Weber
Trainer – Jeff Britton (Vic)
2020 Prizemoney $89,605
Won Victorian State final National Sprint (3rd in heat) - Sandown
Won Group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial - Sandown
Second heat Group 1 Sale Cup (5th in final) - Sale
Fourth in Group 3 McKenna Memorial – Sandown
Fourth in Group 3 Silver Bullet - Sandown
Best Times: 29.20 (515m Sandown), 33.89 (595m Sandown), 29.75 (525m Meadows), 23.11 (410m Horsham)
2020 TAB Nominations Greyhound of the Year
COORONG LUCY
GOLDEN NIGHT
MAJOR MAJOR
SHADOW MIST
SIR TRUCULENT
2020 Greyhound of the Month winners
January – Coorong Lucy – trainer Cameron Butcher
February – Coorong Lucy – trainer Cameron Butcher
March – Hot Sophie – trainer Tony Rasmussen
April – It’s A Riot – trainer Ben Rawlings
May – Coorong Lucy – trainer Cameron Butcher
June – Sir Truculent – trainer Wally Harkins
July – Defy – trainer Troy Murray
August – Shadow Mist – trainer Lauren Harris
September – Major Major– trainer Troy Murray
October – Golden Night– trainer Troy Murray
November – Sir Truculent– trainer Wally Harkins
December – Fly For Trix – trainer Jane McNicholl
2020 Outstanding Service to Industry Award
Terry Cahalan – Presented by Dr. Chris Doyle
2020 Outstanding Service to Industry Award
Laurie Cahalan – Presented by Dr. Chris Doyle
2020 Outstanding Service to Industry Award
Lester Harris – Presented by GRSA CEO Matt Corby
2020 SA Stud Dog of the Year
Worm Burner - 404
Worm Burner is awarded the leading SA Sire for 2020 making it back to back awards after he won in 2019. In 2020 progeny of Worm Burner won an amazing 404 races, a mind-blowing 376 wins in front of his nearest rival in an astonishing year. On some nights during the year Worm Burner sired half the card of racing with his best performed greyhounds being SA Greyhound of the Year finalists Sir Truculent which won 27 races including the SA State Final of the Distance and Premiers Cup and Coorong Lucy which won 19 races including the Listed SA Sprint Championship and Group 3 Howard Ashton. Other handy performers included Zulu Zulu (11 wins) and Maddison Kaye (11 wins).
2020 SA Brood Bitch of the Year
Banjo Blaze - 75
This is the first year that Banjo Blaze has won Brood Bitch of the Year, with 75 winners in 2020. Her winners were out of the Brett Lee litter, which produced 12 pups with all getting to the race track and 10 or the 12 winning races and the Worm Burner litter, which produced 9 pups with again all getting to the race track and 8 or the 9 winning races.
These included Cutie Lee a winner of 11 races, Dynamic Lee a winner of 9 races and Nancy Lee and winning of 8 races from the Brett Lee litter. While Chief Sebon (7 wins), Rugged And Ready (5 wins) and Barcardi Blaze (4 wins) were top winners from the Worm Burner litter.
2020 SA Breeder of the Year
Cameron Butcher – 216 points
This is the eleventh time this award has been presented and was introduced to recognize the outstanding Breeder in the State. This award is decided on a point’s basis for SA Bred greyhounds that have won races at Sky Racing meetings during 2020 in SA.
Cameron had a terrific year with his brood bitch’s which included Molly Be Nimble and She’s A Looper. The Molly Be Nimble litter with Worm Burner produced star sprinter Coorong Lucy (19 wins) while the She’s A Looper’s litter with Aston Dee Bee produced speedster Craggy Island (9 wins). She’s A Looper’s litter with Barcia Bale produced the likes of Springvale Vixen (8 wins) and Springvale Ortiz (6 wins) with many different connections benefiting from the Cameron Butcher breeding bloodlines.
2020 SA Owner/Trainer of the Year (Tier 3)
Cameron Butcher - 66
Again Cameron Butcher was the leading Owner/Trainer of the Year with a total of 66 TAB winners in 2020. Cameron had good success with his greyhounds, highlighted by his star sprinter and GOTY finalist, Coorong Lucy with 19 wins. Cameron usually races in partnership with his wife Yvonne and daughter Karen. Cameron has the exciting Jack’s Well with 10 wins and Yarindale with 9 wins for the year.
2020 TAB Leading Trainer of the Year
Tony Rasmussen – 205
Tony Rasmussen has made it a five peat of training awards as he has been awarded the TAB leading Trainer of the Year for the fifth year in a row, with a total of 205 winners at TAB meetings in SA during 2020 increasing from his 177 from last year. Tony received great support again from his wife Lisa and children making it a real family business.
Lisa came in fifth in this year’s leading trainer award with 150 wins up from her 131 from last year. Daughter Tara trained 16 winners in 2020 after joining the training ranks in 2019 with 9 winners. The Rasmussen family trained an amazing 371 winners for the year.
2020 SA Syndicate of the Year
“Board Racing” Syndicate
Manager – Greg Board
This is the fourteenth time that this Award has been presented to acknowledge an important part of our industry in Syndication. The “Board Racing” Syndicate was formed in SA on 6th February 2017 with members including Greg Board and his wife Helen along with their son Scott who bases himself in NSW. In 2020 The Syndicate won 80 races with their greyhounds winning at Gawler, Angle Park and Murray Bridge. The main performers were Spring Cobra (12 wins), Spring Burner (11 wins), Spring Vinnie (8 wins) and Spring Scout (7 wins).
A special mention to other SA registered syndicates who had terrific success in 2020 which included Razza Racing, Nineofus, Bazinga, Schadow Racing and Franco Farr.
2020 SA City Strike Rate
Wally Harkins – 57.44%
This award is based on performances for Angle Park city meetings (City A/City B). The trainer must also have a minimum of 20 starters for the year. Wally Harkins qualified through the performance mainly of his star stayer Sir Truculent who won 27 races from his 39 starts including the Shane McQueen Final and Stayer’s Cup. During 2020 Wally trained 27 winners from 47 starters at city meetings, giving him a 57.44% strike rate.
2020 Gawler Trackstar Award
Long Gully Boy – 34 starts (14/12/5)
Trainer – Paula Hearnden
Long Gully Boy had all of his 34 starts for the year at the Gawler venue and over the 400m journey with his best time being 22.58. He made the final of the Gawler Sprint Classic on Gawler Cup final night in October after running second in his heat, finishing in 4th position in the final. He raced all year winning 41% of his races and running in the top three 91% of the time, only being unplaced on 3 occasions.
2020 Run Of The Year – Shadow Mist (September)
The Run of the Year was Shadow Mist for trainer Lauren Harris for his performance in an Open event at Angle Park on Thursday, 17th September. He fired out of the boxes at dispatch running a blistering 4.40 and then 16.68 to the back. He carried away from his rivals going on to win by over 5 lengths in an amazing 29.29 which was the fastest time recorded at Angle Park this year over the 515m and makes him the 16th fastest ever at the venue.
Shadow Mist wins this award based on the combination of the public votes where he was voted first and votes from the GOTY Panel where he was voted second.