Ernie Bung Arrow to miss Saturdays Silver Chief
A DISLIKE of the boxes at The Meadows means star South Australian greyhound Ernie Bung Arrow will miss Saturday's heats of the Group 1 Silver Chief.
The speedster, who has won 16 of his 18 starts, hasn't shown his customary early pace in two recent trials at the Melbourne track and owner Ken Gill decided to pull the plug.
The Meadows is becoming somewhat of a bogey track for 'Ernie' - the only time he competed there under race conditions, he finished last in the Group 1 Topgun.
"He's not handling the boxes, either that or he doesn't like The Meadows," Gill said.
"He won his trial on Monday but he's just not getting out as quickly as he needs to."
The son of Lochinvar Marlow was transferred from Gill to top Pearcedale trainer Kel Greenough this month to have a crack at the lucrative Victorian features.
Greenough, who also looks after top chaser Paw Licking, will trial Ernie Bung Arrow at Warragul, a one-bend track, in the next week to see if that's more to his liking.
"If he can't handle the boxes there, he'll be back here in January," Gill said.
"If he handles Warragul, we'll carry on and he'll probably go to The Gardens and things like that.
"It might just be The Meadows - we'll wait and see."
Given Ernie Bung Arrow, who won both the Adelaide Cup and SA Derby this year, only turned two last month, there's also the chance he just misses home.
"Kel says he doesn't think there's anything wrong with the dog, but he might be a little bit homesick," Gill said.
"If he's not going to be happy there, he can come home."
Next month's SA Sprint Championship would be the next main target if 'Ernie' comes back across the border.
Writter by The Advertiser's Tom Biddington