They say that once you are bitten by the greyhound bug the urge to become involved in the sport never leaves completely and Vicki Prest is testament to that belief.
Prest, who had promising Youngster Classy Kid in last Saturday night’s semi-finals of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park, was a toddler when her father Col Gibson was a hobby trainer at Monteagle, near Young.
“I was always going to the dogs with dad to local tracks like Murrumburrah and Cootamundra but I was too little to remember much about it,’’ she said.
“I do recall his best dog was White Wisdom, who I think won in Sydney for him, but he worked selling spare parts for tractors on behalf of a local company so greyhounds were only a hobby."
Prest, who herself works out at Young in the NSW Central West, had an unusual grounding for the sport.
"When I married Greg Prest we moved to Gosford and I worked as a barmaid and as a hotel chef," she said.
“I learned a lot about human nature while working in pubs so became a pretty good judge of character but in 1988 we returned to Young.
“As we had four acres of land something stirred in me, from those days trailing around after dad and his dogs, which spurred me into buying a greyhound.
“I bought One Strategy from local trainers Lorraine and Jackie Roy and while she broke a stopper bone and didn’t race she became a good brood bitch.
“She produced Sold My Sole, who won two marathons, Art Of War, which I gave to my mother June Gibson and who won races for Peter Giles, a top trainer of stayers in Melbourne, and Little Brush, who was my first winner.
“Little Brush was a ‘fleabag’ to educate but surprised me by winning a maiden at Temora and later winning over 600m at Dapto.
“I was a fan of Bombastic Shiraz so when Little Brush retired I mated her to him and got Relevant Stuff and Brush Shiraz.
“Christine Proctor trained Relevant Stuff for me and while he was fast he was plagued with wrist problems, he would win one day and next start would run last, pulling up with a crook wrist.
“But Brush Shiraz gave me my biggest thrill in the sport by defeating crack Victorian stayer Flashing Floods after a head and head tussle to win a heat of the 2007 Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park."
Miagi eventually won the final but Prest can still recall the emotions of the big race.
“I had travelled to Sydney on my own with Brush Shiraz," she said. "I was so overcome with emotion I remember sitting alone in the grandstand after the race, so choked up I couldn’t talk to anyone.
“While that Sydney Cup heat remains my biggest thrill, the greatest disappointment I’ve had was when Special Kid was badly hurt early in his career.
“I trained him for Stan Hannan, who owns Classy Kid, and Special Kid was destined to be a group race winner until he broke down at The Meadows in May 2009.
“He had won four of six Wentworth Park starts and then won his first two starts at The Meadows before breaking down and he is easily the best greyhound I have trained.
“My first city winner was Abeela’s Osti, which I trained for legendary Cootamundra breeder Teddy Doss.
“In those days I rarely went to Wentworth Park as it is a nine hour round trip but Abeela’s Osti was too good to race in the bush and she finished second to In For Life in the state final of the 2004 National Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park.
“Melrina Miss, who has a 12 months old litter by Humdrum, only won twice at Wenty but won Country Challenge heats at FORBES and Young and is the hardest chaser I’ve trained.’’
Now on 20 acres at Young, Prest breeds, whelps, rears, educates and trains and apart from her own she has raised track record holders Rima and Perfect Chance along with group three 2010 Magic Maiden winner Humdrum.
Most trainers aspire to winning Group races, but Prest insists her biggest buzz is winning country races with greyhounds which don’t have much ability but try hard.
“One of my all time favourites is Classy Kid’s litter sister Tiny And Classy, who is only 23kg and is so timid she runs away from anyone but me, and who has won only two small races at Cowra.
“But I love her so much because she chases so keenly.’’
