Charlie Dimech, who recently trained Johnny Magic to win three races at Wentworth Park, had never seen a greyhound as an 18-year-old migrant arriving from Malta in 1964.
All that changed, however, when his brother Sam later married Mary Muscat, whose brother Johnny was one of Sydney's leading trainers.
Johnny Muscat prepared a swag of top liners, including National Derby and Paws Of Thunder finalist On The Rampage, who was runner up to Little Blade in the 1980 Harold Park Christmas Gift, as well as all distance star Last Train Out, who later stood at the stud.
By 1970 Muscat had persuaded his cousin Charlie Dimech to buy a greyhound.
"My first dog, Blackey Streek, did not win a race but that only increased my enthusiasm for the sport,'' Charlie Dimech recalled. "I went on to buy a puppy and, racing as Tiny Image, she gave me my first winner at the old Moss Vale track before going on to win another five races.
"My first city winner was Top Contender, who was successful at Harold Park, but at that time I only had a couple of greyhounds.
"I was busy working on our family's farm, where we grew vegetables, mainly potatoes and cabbages. Then I moved on to factory work factory and being employed by the Department of Main Roads before retiring eight years ago.
"My greyhound training fortunes turned around when veterinary surgeon Dr Tom Astbury began looking for someone to train his dogs.
"Another Maltese trainer, Charlie Axiak, recommended me to Tom and that began a long partnership."
It proved a fruitful pairing, with Dimech going on to train greyhounds owned by Astbury.
"The best greyhound I trained for him was Lyn's Daisy, who gave me my biggest success when she won the 720m Easter Chase at Wentworth Park in March 2008," Dimech said.
"Lyn's Daisy did win over 520m at Wentworth Park but was a top grade stayer, and she won nine races over the Wenty 720m trip.
"She also finished third to Miagi when he broke the track record in the 2007 Sydney Cup and was third to the same dog in the 2008 Wentworth Park Gold Cup.
"Lyn's Daisy became a good producer as her son Manikata, which I also trained, won five Wentworth Park 520m races.
"Between 2001 and 2003 I trained Tadmore Gunlaw for Tom Astbury and he won 14 races, including four over 720m at Wentworth Park."
Dimech said he learned a lot about greyhound racing from his brother-in-law Johnny Muscat.
"He owned a fleet of taxi cabs but was an outstanding hobby trainer," Dimech said.
"At present I have only two greyhounds in work, Johnny Magic and Blackey Streek, which I named after the first dog I owned.
"Johnny Magic is faster but is at his best when he can get on the bunny early while I am setting Blackey Streek for the Bathurst RSL Soldier's Saddle series, which begins with heats at Bathurst next Monday.
"Blackey Streek has won four races so far and while he goes well at Bathurst, I think he is capable of winning a race at Wentworth Park.''
Charlie Dimech, who has now been training for 45 years, still enjoys his visits to Wentworth Park.
"It's my favourite track and I love having a bet there,'' he says.
"I'm not a big punter but when I have a starter at Wenty I have a wager in just about every race, it keeps me interested.
"While I have seen all the good greyhounds which have raced in Sydney over more than four decades, none can compare with Fernando Bale, the present day champion.''
