It’s not the normal emotions, someone with an unbeaten greyhound, one which recently broke a track record at just its third start, would have. But as Brett Moore sat there recently in a bit of a surreal place, he said to his wife that he actually feels guilty about the situation.
The greyhound in question is Bedazzled Babe. She has procured a record of three starts, for three wins, and last Friday at The Gardens, she broke the four-year-old track record over the 272m when she scorched around in 15.54s.
It would be a little surreal for any trainer having a dog that smart, but for Brett, it’s also because he only became licenced on June 27, and Bedazzled Babe is the only dog in his kennel.
“I said to my wife Rebecca the other night I actually feel a bit guilty,” Brett explained. “There are guys who wait all their life for one like this one. It’s not really right.
“I’ve just been really lucky. The dog is obviously happy and I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”
Like most Brett has family ties to the sport. His father Barry had greyhounds and raced several with mixed success.
“He had a couple of good ones, most notably, Buck Burner - he won a heat of the Launceston Cup (2008) - and we had a good bitch called Abbi Taylah, named After my eldest daughter. She was a decent stayer, and we had a bit of fun with her.
“Dad was in it for quite a while then he got out for a number of years. Last year he semi-retired and needed an interest so he got back into it.
“I had no intention of doing getting a licence but it came out of necessity. Dad purchased this dog from Charmaine Roberts, and for whatever reason they couldn’t keep it there. Dad didn’t have a trainer. I’ve got an acre and a half at Bellbird and he said do you mind if I keep it at your place until I find a trainer. I said no problem at all.
“I’ve got three young girls and two other dogs - not greyhounds - of my own, so we brought her here to keep until he found a trainer.”
While rearing his father’s greyhound, she became ill with a virus. Brett actually believed at one point that she wouldn’t survive, but she did.
Having nursed her back to health, and while she still was trainer-less, Brett’s dad asked if he’d consider taking out a licence to train her.
“I said oh no, I’m not going to do that. It’s funny because when she first came here, Rebecca said to me: “I know you. You’ll end up training that dog.” I said: “No I won’t. Don’t be stupid, I won’t. I haven’t got enough time.”
“I’m a coal miner so I work weekends and night shifts, so it’s actually given me a hobby and something to do during the week. I have certainly got the bug now … it’s been such a thrill.”
After getting his licence Brett took Bedazzled Babe to LADBROKES GARDENS to trial. She ran close to the track record and he instantly wondered what he had.
“She’d done nothing. I would throw the ball for her in the yard, just treat her like a normal dog, just to keep her active and happy, so she’s not kennelled all day. She doesn’t like being kennelled and she spends a lot of the day like a normal dog - laying in the sun and doing what not. It’s probably an unorthodox training method.
“After that first trial, I thought is this a fluke, what am I doing here? I take advice from other trainers I know and I ask for advice because I don’t know … and that’s the honest truth. When I first started out I didn’t have a clue. I had never been hands on with greyhounds, and I just figured you keep them happy and they will do the rest.”
Brett took Bedazzled Babe to Queensland for a heat and final of a maiden series, winning both by a collective 13½ lengths, the final in best of the day figures.
Then it was off to the Gardens last Friday.
“All the family was there, mum as Well, and dad caught her. It was such a thrill.
“I saw the 15.5 come up (on the semaphore board) and I’m thinking please be under 15.56s (the track record). I was still shocked when 15.54s came up.
“Dad’s happy I’ve taken training up and he’s really enjoying it.”
Eventually the plan will be to build up to longer distances, but for now, with good prizemoney to race for, Brett is in no hurry with Bedazzled Babe. And nor should he be.
“I am just thrilled with the way it’s going. I couldn’t ask for a better start to be honest.”
When asked about expanding his kennel, Brett said: “Well, I have got a spare kennel here, so … if I can convince my wife to let me have another one, I will.
“She has the bug now too, so I don’t think it will be too difficult to fill that kennel.”
