Western DAVE was the only winner to break the 23-second barrier in Thursday’s Pop Northfield Maiden Classic heats at Casino but trainer Pat Lavis says that dog’s litter brother and kennelmate Mincin’ Machine is faster.
Mincin’ Machine was beaten into second place as an odds-on favourite in another Pop Northfield heat, giving Lavis two finalists in the 411m sprint.
“Although he didn’t show it in his heat, Mincin’ Machine is four lengths quicker than Western DAVE,’’ Lavis said.
“Ideally I would like box eight for Mincin’ Machine and box one for Western DAVE, but that might be asking too much.’’
There is often a story behind greyhounds’ names and Lavis’ pair is no exception.
“A good mate of mine, DAVE Smith, was managing a sheep, wheat and cotton farm at Walgett, in western NSW and had a meat mincer for sale,’’ Lavis said.
“Charlie Northfield, a successful breeder and trainer in my Northern Rivers district, needed a meat mincer and offered to give DAVE two well bred pups in exchange for the mincing machine.
“DAVE agreed to the swap and Charlie selected two pups on his behalf which had been whelped by his bitch Kingsbrae Sam and sired by Bralyn County.
“Subsequently DAVE retired and moved up near where I am at Tregeagle, 12 minutes from Lismore.
“We submitted Western DAVE and Mincin' Machine as our first choice names for the pups and both were accepted.’’
Pat Lavis, who has 25 greyhounds in training in the thriving northern rivers region, still works part-time as a farm hand at Byron Bay.
“That’s my relaxation therapy away from the greyhounds,’’ he quipped.
Not to be outdone completely, Charlie Northfield also secured a finalist when Pete’s Drinking, a litter brother to Lavis’ duo which he kept for himself, was runner-up in his heat.
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The annual Casino maiden classic is named After Charlie “Pop’’ Northfield, a northern rivers area greyhound racing stalwart who trained Bonall’s Return to win the 1946 Casino and Ballina Cups double.
He also prepared Stratheden Rock when that greyhound scored an upset win over the Sydney champion Zoom Top, ranked by many as the sport’s all-time great, at Lismore in 1969.
Pop’s son Bill trained PRETTY SHORT, who, in the mid-1980s, won 50 races and established an incredible 14 track records.
Charlie Northfield, who bred Mincin Machine and Western DAVE, is Pop Northfield’s grandson.
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Dark Magnum scored his fourth successive Bulli win in a sizzling 26.27 over 457m last Wednesday but won’t be rushed to Wentworth Park After he contests this Wednesday’s final at the Slacky Flat circuit.
Ken Wright, whose wife Mary trains Dark Magnum, said the couple were playing it cautious with thier promising charge.
“After Wednesday’s Bulli race we’ll head for Dapto before considering a start at Wentworth Park," Wright said.
“We are confident Dark Magnum is not just a one turn track dog and will handle Dapto and Wentworth Park.
“His only worry at Wentworth Park might be running out a strong 520 metres.
“Although he improved one-and-a-half lengths in his run home time last week on his only previous 472m test at Bulli it needs to be a bit better, although he should get the Dapto trip safely.
“Dark Magnum’s middle splits though are very fast and whenever we trial him up the straight at Appin he usually runs the best time of the morning.’’
Dark Magnum is raced by a syndicate which includes breeder John Ghassibe and former National Coursing Association committeeman John Kelly.
Former NCA vice-president Ken said the gryhound's success a real team effort.
“John Ghassibe always promised me that if he ever bred a really fast pup he would give it to Mary to train.
"I was on the NCA committee with John Kelly in 1988 so our association with Dark Magnum’s owners goes back a long way."
