Fantastic Dotty has emerged as one of Australia’s most exciting greyhound racing prospects after a brilliant win in the Group 3 Dean Industrial Dapto Maiden Classic on Thursday night.
The Jason Fletcher-trained greyhound was sent out a $1.40 favourite after setting two track records over the 520m at Dapto at her first two career starts.
But a win in the Group 3 feature race seemed unlikely after Fantastic Dotty blundered the start and found herself several lengths behind pacesetter Tilly’s Boy midway through the race.
Fantastic Dotty never gave up though, managing to make tremendous ground as the field rounded the home turn and run down Tilly’s Boy to win by a nose (photo finish is pictured).
For Fletcher, the win was one of his career highlights as a trainer.
“I’m delighted with Fantastic Dotty’s efforts. There were a couple of moments there where she could have raised the white flag, but she knuckled down and kept coming,” he said.
“It’s good to see she’s not a one-dimensional greyhound. She’s shown she’s got a big heart.
The finish was so close, Fletcher was unsure Fantastic Dotty had won the race.
“I was at the starting boxes, but I could hear my kids at the finishing post screaming their heads off,” father-of-four Fletcher said.
“If she’d lost, I knew they would have been deathly quiet. I think the kids are pushing for a day off school to celebrate, but I think Mum might have something to say about that.
This was a second Group victory of the year for Appin-based Fletcher, who has also scored a succession of notable wins over the last two years with the likes of Fantastic Sid and Fantastic Spiral.
“Having my family makes wins like this all the more special. It’s certainly more than just a job when they’re here with me on nights like this,” he said.
Fantastic Dotty may now be aimed at a surprise tilt at Group 1 Dapto Megastar in early September.
