Six months in hospital enduring daily doses of chemotherapy to fight the onset of leukemia has given Doyalson trainer Mark Moroney a realistic perspective on winning races.
“I was diagnosed with leukemia, a potentially fatal blood disorder, in the first week of 2010 but after six months hospitalisation I received a clean bill of health,’’ Moroney said.
“Two months after leaving hospital I won the 2010 Bankstown City Cup, a Group 3 race in those days, with my bitch Cathella Ice, but winning races is small potatoes compared with one’s health.
Moroney, 52, has now been totally clear of the illness for four years and while he drives a truck for a living he is back enjoying his hobby of greyhound training.
“I’ve got four in work including Fire Elusive, who is a son of Cathella Ice, and three 19 month old pups by Prince Diablo from Cathella Ice,’’ he said.
“I was born into the sport because my grandfather, the late Frank Landrigan, trained at Grafton and my uncle Mick is still training greyhounds there.
“My mother Norma Landrigan grew up with greyhounds and she married John Moroney, who died in 1999 after also being a dog trainer.
“As a kid we lived at Hornsby Heights where I attended Wahroonga’s St Leo’s private catholic high school, but most Saturday nights dad would pile me and some mates in the back of his V8 ute and take us to Wentworth Park.
“When I left school at 15 I worked with my father and Ken Tillis, a Riverstone trainer, building wire fences.
“Ken sold us a 15 months old pup and racing as Salina Babe, she won at her first start for us on the old Moss Vale track.
“I remember vividly she had box eight because they crossed the line in reverse box number order and due to that freak occurrence there was a story about it in the Sunday Telegraph.
“My favourite dog when I was growing up was WEST CAPE, a blue dog with a white ring around his neck so at 29 I bought a son of his which was black but had the identical white ring on his neck.
“I paid only $600 for this pup at six weeks old and racing as Fire Cape he won 27 races and broke five track records.
“He finished up with Melbourne trainer Graeme Bate who stood him at stud where Fire Cape sired Fire Lad, winner of the 1995 Sydney Cup in race record time.
“I bought Fire Lad’s litter sister Fire Crisis for $350 and while she had limited racetrack success due to wrist problems she won a race at Sandown after her second litter was whelped!
“What a producer she became, with her daughter Sydney Fire’s progeny winning close to 1000 races.
“To Bright Ebony she whelped Poison Ivory, which won the Newcastle Cup for me, and Payback Fire, which I trained to win a Perth Cup Consolation.
“Then to Stately Bird, Sydney Fire produced Blazing Fire, who was trained by my late brother TODD and who held the Richmond long distance record for many years.
“Now TODD’s son Blake goes to the races with me to help me handle my dogs.
“Cathella Ice, the bitch who won the Bankstown City Cup for me when I got out of hospital, was also descended from Fire Crisis, and apart from the Potts Park event she won another 16 races.
“And Fire Elusive, my best greyhound at present, is a son of Cathella Ice.
“Fire Elusive is probably as quick as Fire Cape, my first top notcher, but he is a bit of a head case and is not as fierce a chaser. But he has won 13 races and four at Wentworth Park so has been a great money spinner.’’
Moroney says his favourite track is Richmond, with Maitland “a close second’’ while he ranks National Lass and Rapid Journey as the best greyhounds he has seen.
But after 37 years in the sport the affable trainer believes current Victorian all distance star Xylia Allen might become his “all time great.’’
“For versatility she is up there with Zoom Top so if she keeps going Xylia Allen might become number one greyhound I’ve seen," he said.
