Mark Bell, who underwent a successful life-saving liver transplant earlier this year, bounced back to train June 7 Richmond winner Ticky Tindal before landing successive wins at Bulli with Wild Ted.
Wild Ted stormed home to win over 400m at Bulli on Wednesday in a fast 22.57 after winning over 472m there in a slick 26.40.
It’s ironic for Bell, who has four greyhounds in work, that Wild Ted is the star of his team.
He trained the greyhound’s sire Go Wild Teddy, a true champion who was the 2000 NSW Greyhound Of The Year.
Wild Ted is owned by leading central coast breeder Lorraine Atchison, who had originally intended to train the dog herself.
“He broke in well at Glengarrie and then I spelled him for six weeks,’’ Atchison said.
“Then I bumped into Mark at Richmond and he said ‘when are you going to give me a good dog to train?’
“So I even though Wild Ted was the fastest dog in my kennels I offered him to Mark.
“But before he could take the dog Mark was bumped up to the top of the liver transplant list and had to decline my offer.
“I kept this in mind though and after Mark had the transplant and I told him when he had fully recovered he could train Wild Ted.’’
Bell, who is renowned for being forthright, admits Wild Ted contested Wednesday night’s 400 metre race “by mistake.’’
"I wanted to enter him for another 472 metre race but I hit the wrong button on the computer and his nomination went into a 400 metre event!" Bell said.
“My other recent winner, Ticky Tindal, is named after a mate of mine with whom I play lawn bowls.
“Ticky used to work for a bookmaker and loves a punt, he even sets the odds when we are playing bowls.
“Ticky Tindal only won over 400 metres at Richmond but I’m about to step him up in distance.’’
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Shannon Ellis, who has been training for only 18 months, landed a winning double at Goulburn on Tuesday with Sapphire Madam and Big Hoff.
The operations manager for a freight company, Shannon trains seven greyhounds as a hobby on a half acre block at Oura (pronounced Ow-Ra), which is 20km from Wagga.
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Western Districts trainer Ron Seymour, who trained Billy Binjang, winner of the first Golden Easter Egg run on sand, in 1993, will produce an exciting prospect in the unraced ZIPPING Abby in tonight’s (Monday’s) second heat of the Sportingbet Maiden Series.
ZIPPING Abby, owned by Marty and Fiona Hallinan, will be odds-on favourite after drawing box one and trialling a sizzling 29.82 in a performance trial over 520m at Bathurst.
ZIPPING Abby went solo in the trial but her time was only .35 outside Buck Fever’s track record.
The Hallinan family, from Clergate, near ORANGE, hold a strong hand in the Sportingbet Maiden as they also own ZIPPING Abby’s litter brother ZIPPING Saxon, who is expected to win heat four.
Trained by Jason Mackay, ZIPPING Saxon scored a runaway win in a 515m performance trial at The Gardens on June 11, trouncing kennelmate and sister ZIPPING Amelia in a near record 29.41.
