Some trainers hit the ground running by winning with their first starter but well regarded Newcastle trainer DAVE Richardson’s entry into the sport is a lesson in perseverance and patience.
Richardson, who won the 2013 Group 2 Black Top at The Gardens with Billy Buzzard and now trains promising stayer DAVE-sapphire">SanDAVE Sapphire, took four years to train his first winner!
“I grew up in Engadine, south of Sydney, and after becoming an apprentice plasterer I got involved with greyhounds through a good mate, Chris Field," Richardson recalled.
Now 66, Richardson secured his first greyhound as a 20-year-old but says he knew little about training and his early experiences comprised “trial and error.’’
“Four years later breeder Mary Olling sold me Norval Lad for $100 because he could not run 500 metres,’’ Richardson said.
“But Norval Lad gave me my first two wins in a 400m heat and final at Maitland though because I had a young family and was a full time plasterer the dogs had to take a back seat for a while and we moved to Queensland.
“In the early 1980s I bought a dog from top Northern Rivers breeder and trainer Neville Robson, and he taught me everything I now know about greyhounds.
“Every dog I bought from Neville won races, including Great Landing, who at one stage won six races in succession.
“But after establishing my own plastering business I had to get other people to train for me and Johnny Humbler trained a good greyhound I part owned named Aussie Venture.
“He was a top notcher and finished second to See Yah in the 1987 Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park and ran fourth in Clover Chief’s National Derby final the following year.
Richardson and his family eventually settled in Holmesville, near newcastle, where he became "serious" about training greyhounds.
He retired four year ago and is assisted by his best possible "right hand", wife Sandra.
“Because of work she finds it hard to get to the races but she helps out a lot around the kennels," Richardson said.
“Since we’ve been at Holmesville our best greyhounds have been Star Sapphire, who took a dislike to Wentworth Park but won the Lord Mayor’s Cup at The Gardens and won at Richmond in 30.25 when those figures were just outside the record.
“I also won with Wilfred at Albion and Wentworth Parks but he was even better at Richmond where he was hard to beat and at CESSNOCK, where he was undefeated.
“More recently I trained siblings Billy Buzzard, Rose Buzzard and Points Buzzard and they won $100,000 prizemoney in 12 months.
“Billy Buzzard won 16 races with his Black Top win the highlight of my career while Points Buzzard won eight races and Rose Buzzard, who was purely a short course bitch, won 14 from 33 starts.
“And while Billy Buzzard’s Black Top win was special I still get a terrific thrill from seeing any dog I train perform well.
“Accordingly my favourite tracks are wherever the dogs I happen to be training at the time are suited and because DAVE-sapphire">SanDAVE Sapphire likes Albion Park I have been going there a bit lately.
“Brett Lee was the fastest dog I’ve seen, the best looking was Johnny Young’s great bitch Petite Panther and the best win I’ve seen was Cosmic Rumble’s success in the 2010 Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park.’’
