Tony's Great Run Continues
Owner trainer Tony Lagana’s successes at Gawler have been reported on many occasions, but hardly a week goes by without his top performing litter grabbing another win.
On Tuesday in the feature event on the program, the Gawler South Bakery Free For All Final over 531m, Tony had Fire Tyson engaged from out of box 8. Apart from a few strides after the start, Fire Tyson was always in front and went on to win by just over a length in the excellent time of 30.65 secs. The result took Fire Tyson’s wins to 32 and stakemoney winnings passed the $100,000 mark, an excellent result in anyone’s language.
Kenso Karoo was always well placed in the run and ran home strongly to run second for Ben Rawlings of Lewiston, and Chemical maker was third for Troy Murray of Two Wells.
In the very next race, Avid Tyson, another member of that litter, contested the Adelaide Vet Services Stake over 400m. Out of box 4, the $1.30 chance exploded to the front and just went on with it from there to win by 5 ½ lengths in the blistering time of 22.27secs.In doing so, Avid Tyson set a new track record, breaking the previous one of 22.34 set by Cash Or Credit set in June last year. Avid Tyson had set the previous record in March 2013, until Cash Or Credit had bettered it.
In what is probably a first at the track I can’t recall another greyhound that has set a record, been passed and then reclaimed it a year later. However it is testament to the dog’s ability and Tony’s skills to prepare the greyhound in such great form. Tuesday’s win gives Avid Tyson her 36th win and 21 placings from 81 starts, an excellent score.
Tony names all his greyhounds with “Tyson”, a reference to his early sporting interest in boxing. The greyhounds with that name in the early days had success, so Tony decided to stick with it. Whatever the reason, Tony is certainly having a great run and we can expect more to follow.
Two Wells based trainer Kim Johnstone had the honour of recording the most winners for the day, when she was able to lead in a treble. Kim was off to a flying start when Velocity Saphire and Impudence won the first two races, and was followed up later in the program by Maysoon Kahn.
Racing is at Gawler every Tuesday afternoon, with the next Sunday twilight on the 13th April.