Chris O'Brien, trainer of the promising Bulkender and breeder of Saturday night's Wentworth Park winner Maya Herrera, initially dreamed of becoming a racehorse trainer.
"I worked as a sales representative after leaving school and used to follow the thoroughbreds, not from the betting viewpoint but because I was fascinated by the breeding aspect,'' O'Brien recalled.
"I even hoped to become a horse trainer but while playing rugby league for my local junior team, the Milperra Colts, I got to know Larry Hunter, who was a greyhound trainer.
"Larry managed our team and would use the ultrasonic machine he had for his greyhounds to ease the aches and pains on his footy side after a game.
"I have always loved animals, and as a kid was never without a dog and some birds, so Larry Hunter sparked my interest in the greyhounds.
"After visiting Bulli greyhounds I asked Lyn Curtis, who was the track administrator, how I could go about getting into greyhound racing.
"She suggested I contact Joe Corte, successful trainer of the crack sprinter Proper Tears, because he had some pups for sale.
"One of the pups, Big Sis Ris, gave me my first winner at Goulburn in 2003, with Joe her trainer.
"The first greyhound I trained was a dog I bought from Joe for $5000 but after finishing second in a 365m race at Nowra at his first start he broke down and did not race again.
"Then I formed a syndicate with some mates, including south coast bottle shop proprietor Simon Hurford, and bought Chappo, who won a Dapto maiden in a smart 30.18 and was also a good winner at Bulli.
"I had applied my interest in racehorse bloodlines to greyhound pedigrees and purchased a Bombastic Shiraz-Chili Berger bitch from breeder John Tyrell.
"I bought her because she was a full sister in blood to Tyrell's champion sprinter Bit Chili, and, racing as Tifi, she won four Wentworth Park 720m races in early 2009, including three in succession.''
O'Brien's judgment in choosing Tifi on breeding was vindicated because her litter brother Did I Entertain won 30 races and earned $200,000 for Robert Arnold.
''And when Tifi went to stud she produced Tifia">Tifia, who was even better than her mother, and of course Tifi was also the mother of that champion bitch Double Twist, which I bred and sold and who won 26 of 46 starts when trained by Garry Edwards,'' O'Brien added.
"Tifia">Tifia gave me my biggest win as a trainer when she took out the 2012 Group 3 Wentworth Park Magic Maiden in 29.86, which, at that stage, was the fastest time ever recorded in that event.
"Tifia">Tifia went on to win nine from 25 starts and her first litter are displaying plenty of talent.
"They include Maya Herrera and Bulkender, both Wentworth Park winners, and JusTifia">Tifia and TesTifia">Tifia, who have also won races, while her second litter, sired by Cosmic Rumble, have either been educated or are at the breakers now and are showing real potential.
"Since 2005 I have been running my own bobcat and tipper business and can comfortably train no more five greyhounds, so when I breed a litter I keep a few and sell the rest.
"A Brisbane-based English migrant, Phil Smith, who trained greyhounds in the UK, has bought 10 youngsters from me, five from Tifia">Tifia's first Where's Pedro litter and five from her next Cosmic Rumble litter.
"I only saw Brett Lee on film but he was fantastic while the best greyhound I have watched live would have to be Double Twist.
"As far as tracks go I seem to have luck at Dapto and Richmond so they would be my favourites.''
