Zambora Idol, longest priced winner of a Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic semi-final at Wentworth Park last Saturday night, was a gift to his owner-trainer Tony Spiteri.
The dog was originally owned by Charlie Azzopardi, owner of Zambora Brockie, winner of the Group 1 Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park and of last week's Horsham Cup final.
"I have been a friend of Charlie Azzopardi's for 40 years and when I wanted to get back into training after 25 years out of the sport, he gave me Idol">Zambora Idol to get me going,'' Spiteri said.
"In the 1980s I won several races at Wentworth Park with Paula's Farewell, but was only a hobby trainer in those days as I worked full-time as a wharfie.
"I'm nearly 69 now so when I retired from the wharves I decided, seven months ago, to take out a trainer's licence again.
"I train Idol">Zambora Idol the old-fashioned way, walking him at a fast pace for a minimum of one hour daily.''
Unfortunately Idol">Zambora Idol's chances in next Saturday night's Peter Mosman final nosedived when the dog drew box seven.
"I badly wanted to see him draw inside and was hoping for box two,'' Spiteri said after the draw.
XXXX
One of the most impressive wins seen at a provincial meeting this year was Osti Influence's remarkable effort at Dapto last Thursday night but owner-breeder Ashley Dwyer insists her litter brother Got A Motor is faster.
Drawn in box six, Osti Influence was so badly hampered at the start at Dapto she was entitled to finish near the rear of the field, but after finally getting into stride she railed into a distant fourth position on the back straight.
After sustaining that burst and being a close second turning for home, she came away to win clearly in the moderate time of 30.39.
But Dwyer, who trains Osti Influence, said: "I have no doubt she would break 30 seconds at Dapto with a clear run.
"I am tossing up whether to take her back to Dapto on Thursday or head for Melbourne to race her at The Meadows on the same night.
"Osti Influence's brother Got A Motor, who is being trained for me by Anthony Azzopardi, is racing at The Meadows on Wednesday and all being well he should be a future star.
"I bred the litter from my bitch Sizzling Osti and Mainline Osti, another bitch from the litter which I am training myself, won at Bathurst last Monday.
"Left Pocket and Aussie Ozzy Osti are two other members of Sizzling Osti's first litter, sired by Collision, which have above averager ability.
"Sizzling Osti is a descendant of Osti Too, the champion stayer bred and raced by legendary Cootamundra breeder Ted Doss.
"I was growing up in Cootamundra when Osti Too and her sister Fantasy Lady were long distance stars at Harold Park and have always tried to secure greyhounds carrying the Doss dam line.
"Ted Doss told me last week he has decided to quit breeding but I assured him I would do my best to keep his famous line in the winner's circle.''
Osti Too was the great, great grand-dam of Brett Lee and with 89 year old Ted Doss calling it quits after 65 years in the sport, a greyhound racing era will come to an end.
XXXX
Few Sydney greyhound fans have even heard of Mr Riley but no greyhound possesses a strike rate to compare with the bush dog's astonishing 41 wins and 19 placings from 76 starts.
The four-year-old, who has won at Gunnedah, Tamworth, The Gardens, Dubbo, ARMIDALE, Muswellbrook, Coonabarabran and Maitland, continues to race in fine form for his owners Kevin and Fay Sills, who breed, rear and train at Curlewis, 15km from Gunnedah.
Kevin Sills, who works at the Namoi Flour Mill, commenced training greyhounds 40 years ago, as a 19-year-old teenager.
He landed a winner at Maitland last Thursday with promising youngster Typhoon Kev but Mr Riley, despite his advancing age, remains the star of his team.
"I bought Mr Riley as a pup for $700 after his breeder, David Silver from Gunnedah, was unable to sell a litter he had bred from his bitch Mulwara Park,'' Sills recalled.
"The entire litter has turned out to be pretty smart and Mr Riley ranks with Little Old Lady, a bitch I trained 15 years ago ago for Sydney owner Robert Camilleri, as the best I have prepared.
"Robert sent Little Old Lady to me because she preferred the grass surfaces which existed on my local tracks at that time and she won 25 for me including country Cup finals.
"I seldom race in Sydney but have trained metropolitan area winners, although Mr Riley won't be racing at Wentworth Park as I don't think he would be able to see out the 520 metres there.
ends
