My Little Mate Had Richmond In A Frenzy

By Jeff Collerson

My Little Mate, who broke Black Frenzy's three-year-old track record at Richmond on Wednesday, will be retired to stud as soon as she comes in season.

The Barbara Spackman-trained flying machine rocketed over the Londonderry 400m trip in 22.19, which took .05sec off the previous record set by the Jason Mackay-trained Black Frenzy in November, 2015.

"We have a Fernando Bale straw waiting for My Little Mate so when she comes in season she will head for the breeding barn,'' Spackman said.

"When she won on Wednesday she was always going to give the record a shake because her first split was eight seconds flat, time absolutely without precedent.

"My Little Mate is the third generation member of her family to be a course record holder.

"Her dam Little Mother holds five tracks records in NEW ZEALAND while her grandmother Zilla once broke the 400m record at The Gardens.''

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Beast Unleashed, winner of the $150,000 to the winner Sandown Launching Pad on March 29, heads the lineup for Friday's heats of the Richmond Riches.

The JODIE Lagogiane-trained speedster, who has won seven of his nine races, was runner-up at his most recent start, in a heat of the Warrnambool Cup on April 25.

Beast Unleashed had led throughout to win the Group 2 Launching Pad final, posting his fastest Sandown time of 29.34.

Beast Unleashed is no stranger to Richmond as he began his career on the Londonderry circuit, taking out a 400m maiden on debut in late December, recording a nippy 22.75.

The inaugural Richmond Riches, held in 2016, was taken out by Thirty Talks, whose Queensland owner Len Antonio and trainer Tony Brett, took home a cheque for $100,000.

Connections of the Jason Mackay-trained Mister Twister earned an identical prize when that greyhound landed the 2017 Richmond Riches, but stakes this year have had to be reduced to $40,000.

Reason for the drop is last year's proposed greyhound ban, which forced the Richmond club to abandon its annual Riches Puppy Auction sale, which was the source of the bulk of the prizemoney.

Thirty Talks and Mister Twister had each topped the bidding at the Richmond puppy sales.

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Steelcity Boxing, who scored his fourth win in six starts when he took out last Wednesday's Maitland To Wenty final at Wentworth Park, is yet another greyhound whose career was kick-started through a tonsillectomy.

Steelcity Boxing had troublesome tonsils removed before he took out a heat of the Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden at Wentworth Park on March 14.

The Darryl Thomas-trained Steelcity Boxing, raced by Newcastle gymnasium proprietor Rob Fogarty and breeder Brad Canty, clocked fastest time of 29.90 in the Magic Maiden heats but fell over in his semi-final.

Trainer Darryl Thomas, whose parents Darrallene and John were successful Sydney trainers, has a strong team in work as he had previously won a Dapto To Wenty Final with brilliant speedster Mrs Mouse.

When she led throughout at Wentworth Park on April 25 in 30.17, Mrs Mouse was having only her sixth start, with her career having been put on hold due to an unduly long seasonal condition.

Mrs Mouse hit the ground running when she won her maiden race over 420m at Lismore on December 12 in 23.81, just .29sec outside the track record established by Queensland Greyhound of the Year Fast Times.

"It's been a long haul finally getting her to Wentworth Park but I don't believe in rushing young greyhounds, it is best to let nature takes it course,'' Thomas said.

"Mrs Mouse is still learning but she has a big motor and is getting there, and by not rushing her I should be able to race her until she is three-and-a-half to four years of age, so there's plenty of time.''