Johnny Mooney was 15 when he trained his first winner, a dog purchased with part of his first tax refund.
The now 67-year-old NSW Central Coast's trainer’s Blue Rhombo, won his first three starts for Mooney - not bad considering he bought the dog from Frank Holmes, who trained legendary 1960s sprinter Black Top.
“My sister lived next door to a fellow who walked Frank Holmes’ dogs for him while he was at work," Mooney said. "Through visiting her I heard Blue Rhombo was for sale.
“Frank Holmes only had two kennels, and one was occupied by Black Top, so when he wanted to make room for a promising new dog he sold Blue Rhombo to me for twenty pounds ($40).
“The timing was perfect because after school I worked part time at Dandy Hams at Homebush, and had just received my first tax refund of thirty five pounds ($70).
“When I got him Blue Rhombo had raced twice for a second and a third at Newcastle’s Beaumont Park and he won first-up for me at Bathurst.
“I put five pounds ($10) on Blue Rhombo at 4/1 ($5) at Bathurst and when he won I took him to Lithgow where he won again.
“In those days the Lithgow track was under the auspices of the local hospital and because the winners that day qualified for a final at Wentworth Park it was off to the city with Blue Rhombo where he won again."
Mooney soon got to grips with the cut and thrust of the sport.
“In the early days I trained by trial and error and common sense but later got a lot of advice from the late Billy Fletcher, who was a top trainer," he said.
“When we moved to Lidcombe in 1963 and there were 20 other trainers in that suburb.
“But well before I moved to Green Point eight years ago I had become the only greyhound trainer in Lidcombe.’’
Mooney, who currently has five greyhounds in work, has trained a swag of top class greyhounds.
“Best sprinter I had was McGillucuddy, who won nine races at Harold Park and one at Wentworth Park before breaking down when six lengths in front in the 1984 Wauchope Cup,’’ he said.
“McGillucuddy went to the United States where he was a highly successful stud dog, although he was given a name change when he arrived there.
“Winter Parade, who once beat the Harold Park champion The Shot on his favourite track, was another good sprinter I had and he also became a successful sire.’’
But Mooney has always been especially successful with stayers.
He trained 600m record holder Miss Quoted, 2008 Sydney Cup winner Others Quoted, Last Quoted, who won the 2005 Albion Park Gold Cup and Perth Galaxy double and was Cannington’s long distance record holder, along with her sister Best Quoted, winner of the 2005 Sandown Cup and 2005 Wentworth Park (now Betfair) Gold Cup.
“Other good stayers I had were Reclaimed who won five races over 722m at Wentworth Park, Speedy Clogs, who we bought for $1200 and who gave us a big win one night over 732m at Harold Park when a 40/1 ($41) outsider, and a couple of talented but naughty chasers named Security Lady and Miss Wongarbon.
“Security Lady won a marathon at Dapto while in one of her Harold Park 800 yards (732m) wins Miss Wongarbon clocked 43.6 on the same night Zoom Top won in 43.8.
“Last Loot was a good stayer who gave me and the officials plenty of headaches.
“She refused to stop at the catching pen so after a long distance race at Wentworth Park I would wait for her at the 722 metre boxes and sure enough, she would find a way through the pen and run to me there.
“One night they put a piece of chain wire across the back of the catching pen to stop her and she went straight through it!
“Biggest thrill I’ve had in my 52 years in the sport was winning Cannington’s Perth Galaxy with Last Quoted, because her sister and kennelmate Best Quoted finished second.
"The best sprinter and stayer I have seen were Roman Earl, the joint NSW Greyhound of the Year award winner in 1966, and Travel Rev, who was virtually unbeatable over 800 yards (732m) at Harold Park.’’
