Shaun Evans, trainer of outstanding juveniles Aphorism and Star Torana, is 37-years-old but his entire working life has been devoted to greyhounds.
While most full-time trainers were originally employed in other occupations, Evans has been working with and later training greyhounds since he was a child.
"When I was growing up my family lived at The Oaks, not far from the training and breeding property of the famous Paul Wheeler,'' Evans recalled.
"By the time I was in year seven I was working after school and at weekends for Paul.
"My working days would begin with me cleaning up after greyhounds, and after more than 20 years I'm still doing it,'' he quipped.
Even in those days Wheeler was Australia's most successful breeder and owner, and he obviously took a shine to the young Evans.
"It was Paul who presented me with my first greyhound, Calista Bale, as a gift,'' Evans said.
"She had been retired after winning four races at Dapto and Bulli and Paul advised me to breed from her.
"I mated Calista Bale to Warren's Flyer, who had been one of the best Wentworth Park top graders of his era.
"The litter Calista Bale produced to Warren's Flyer gave me Let's Ask Paul, who in 1996 won a maiden at Dapto by 10 lengths, giving me my first winner.
"From the same litter came Trivia Lass, my first Wentworth Park winner.
"Let's Ask Paul, who won five races at the provincials, got his name because I was always pestering Paul Wheeler with questions about greyhounds.
"And Trivia Lass, who won five races at Wentworth Park and another five at Dapto, remains the best greyhound I have trained.
Trivia Lass bred on and to Golden Currency she whelped Bronze Thong, who was Evans's first Group race winner as a trainer.
"Bronze Thong won the 2002 Cyril Rowe Gold Cup at Bulli, " he said. "He beat another of my team, Golden Paws, who was from the same litter, into second place.
"Landing the quinella in a race like the Cyril Rowe is the biggest thrill I have enjoyed as a trainer.
"But as an owner I've had even bigger wins because my mate CHRIS Nutt and I raced Nitro Nori and St Pierre.
"Nitro Nori won at Wentworth Park but he was a top class one turn specialist sprinter who won 20 races and also took out the Cyril Rowe Cup.
"And St Pierre won 23 races and when trained for us in Tasmania by Debbie Cannan was victorious in the 2011 Australian Cup at The Meadows.''
Shaun Evans' long association with the Wheeler connection continues as three years ago he and CHRIS Nutt took over The Oaks establishment.
This was founded by the late Allen Wheeler and enhanced by his son Paul and grandson Brendan.
When Brendan relocated to join his parents Paul and Jan on their sprawling Boorowa property, Evans and Nutt set up what has now become one of Sydney's leading breaking-in venues.
"CHRIS and I educate and rear puppies at The Oaks,'' Evans said.
"We can handle between 30 and 40 break-ins at a time, with the course lasting for a month for each young dog.
"Among the good race dogs CHRIS and I have educated include Tommy Brislane and Shoulders.''
The time constraints placed on Evans through the commitment to breaking-in and rearing have forced him to restrict his own racing team.
"At present I have only Aphorism and Star Torana in work,'' he said.
"Aphorism has won eight of 19 starts including two at Wentworth Park but does not turn two until the end of April.
"Star Torana, who has won seven from 19 including four at Wentworth Park, has been sidelined with a dislocated toe and it has taken longer to heal than originally expected.
"But she is only just two years old so the break from racing should do her more good than harm.''
Not surprisingly Dapto, the scene of Evans' first winner, is his favourite track.
While it is impossible to compare the greats of different era, he plumps for Brett Lee and Queensland's Flying Amy as his pet sprinters and the 1994 National Distance Championship winner Miss Cruise as the pick of the stayers.
