Owen Langley only started training greyhounds to get some invaluable exercise more than 40 years ago - but he has still got a spring in his step.
Langley, currently enjoying success at Wentworth Park with recent winner Shady Son, has always "flown under the radar'' despite training Group winning greyhounds such as Nimuay and Over Flo.
Captain Piper, a finalist in the 1995 Paws Of Thunder and 1996 National Derby, was Langley's first top dog but his exploits were far over-shadowed by Nimuay and Over Flo."
Nimuay won 15 from 38 starts including the 2002 Group 1 Assocation Cup while Over Flo took out a group 2 double in 2005, annexing the Peter Mosman Classic and Bob Payne WINTER Stake at Wentworth Park.
Bella Ashley, who broke the track record in winning a Group 3 Nowra Puppy Classic, Over Flo's brother Binga Flo and the vastly under-rated Nimbastic and Shady's Lesson are other top notchers to have represented Langley.
"I can't split Nimuay and Over Flo as the best I have trained,'' Langley, who works out of the western Sydney base of Berkshire Park, said.
"But Over Flo was special because he won 14 races at Wentworth Park and was in 17 finals from 34 starts so he was always taking on the best dogs racing, we didn't dodge anything with him.''
Nimbastic though is the greyhound which, to me, underscores Langley's skill as a trainer.
The daughter of his versatile sprinter-stayer Nimuay had won just four of 23 starts at Lismore and Albion Park before becoming part of Langley's team.
She won first-up for him at Wentworth Park on June 16, 2008 before going on to ring up 12 wins and 23 placings at headquarters, where she toppled such top liners as 2009 National Derby winner Fedex, 2008 Ladies Bracelet winner Miss Beeslee, Repeated, Radio Star, Sky Fly High and Orphan Point.
Nimbastic, who became a brilliant beginner under Langley's guidance, may well have been hailed as the queen of Wentworth Park had she not been a contemporary of the phenomenal Miss Elly Mint.
Miss Elly Mint, trained by Robert Smith, won 44 of 66 starts and in one spectacular period was successful in 22 from 24 races, with Nimbastic chasing her home in many of those assignments.
While Over Flo broke the race record in his 2005 WINTER Stake victory when he became the first winner to break the 30sec barrier in the event, Langley also has fond memories of that dog's litter brother Binga Flo.
"Binga Flo was a front runner who won 11 races at Wentworth Park and while he was only a little fellow his racing weight was crucial,'' Langley recalled.
"He was at his best at 26.6kg, but if his weight crept up to 27kg he could not run a strong 520m at Wenty.''
Shady Son has scored four wins and four placings from 14 starts so far and looks a handy prospect for Langley.
He was produced by Shady's Lesson, another from the Langley lineup of fast beginners and winner of seven Free For Alls at Wentworth Park in 2010 and 2011.
Unlike most leading trainers, Langley had no background in the sport and admits he bought his first greyhound purely as an incentive to get more exercise.
"I'm a New Zealander and came to Australia in 1973 to punt on racehorses,'' Langley recalled.
"But in doing that I was just sitting around getting fat so I bought a greyhound which I figured would force me to go for long walks.
"The greyhound was only three months old but I would walk him for many kilometres daily so it was little wonder that when he began racing he was no good at all.
"Nobody had told me puppies so young did not need such arduous exercise and to this day I have never had another, more experienced trainer as a mentor.
"I have always gained knowledge through trial and error, along with common sense, although when I started off I attended a seminar on muscle manipulation conducted by the late Geoff Watt, and his instructions have proved invaluable.''
