More than 30 years ago Phil Roberts, a student at Jesmond High School in the Hunter Valley, called phantom races in the playground while being encouraged by fellow student Terry Priest, who longed to become a greyhound trainer.
Roberts' ambition was to become a race caller and last Thursday, with regular broadcaster John McDermott enjoying a day off, Roberts called the 450m race in which Old Spice, trained by his old school mate Priest, smashed the 450m record.
National Derby winner Magic Spring held the record but Old Spice, named after the favourite after shave worn by Priest's late father, took the equivalent of a length off the Derby winner's figures.
"It was certainly a special day because my mum Denise caught Old Spice for me,'' Priest said.
"And to have Phil Roberts call our dog's record breaking run put the icing on the cake. I knew Old Spice was ready to run a heck of a race because he had dropped in grade, had box one, and had trialled brilliantly at the CESSNOCK gymkhana on the previous Sunday.
"He contested the Multicam Shootout at CESSNOCK and only George Sannette went a tick quicker than my bloke.''
Old Spice may now head to Melbourne for Thursday night's heats of the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson over the Sandown 515m course.
"His real mission is the Winter Cup series which begins at Albion Park on June 30 but that is a long way off,'' Priest said.
"I'm not sure if Old Spice would get a run at Sandown as it is for the best 32 nominations but I want to keep him going while he is flying.
"After all, he is three and a half years old so I can't expect him to be racing so well for too much longer.
"Although Old Spice has won in fast time at Wentworth Park that is not really his track.
"Old Spice has a couple of flat spots at Wenty that he doesn't have at Maitland or Albion Park but I think Sandown would suit him.''
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It was a family quinella when the Sid Swain trained They Said toppled Choc Chip Magic in a 520m fifth grade at Wentworth Park last Wednesday night _ but we're not sure if the result pleased everyone.
They Said is owned by Swain and Frank Busch, while Choc Chip Magic is owned by Busch's daughter Alison and trained by Busch's son-in-law John Head.
Like their owners, They Said and Choc Chip Magic are closely related, with They Said's dam Jenny Myers being by Clappin' Thunder from Sponge Cake and Choc Chip Magic's mother Choc Chip a daughter of Hotshow Sam and Sponge Cake.
After the race John Head explained: "When They Said was broken in my father-in-law asked me to train him but I had no room in my kennels.
"So Frank Busch asked Sid Swain to take the dog, because Sid had trained Sure As, the sire of They Said, with whom Frank had mated his bitch Jenny Myer.''
