Tiger Nine, named in honour of Wests Tigers footy legend Robbie Farah and owned and trained by Tigers "fanatic'' Pauline Moran, looked as nippy and dashing as his namesake in scoring impressively over 400m at Richmond last Wednesday.
Robbie Farah, as the Tigers’ hooker, wears the number nine jersey so Tiger Nine was the name Moran chose for her promising puppy.
The greyhound led throughout to clock a nippy 22.76s last Friday and Moran's husband Steve said they believe the dog will be able to run 520m.
"Tiger Nine was bred by Jody and Michael Manuel and as Pauline has always had a liking for blue greyhounds she chose him,” Steve said.
"When it came time to have him reared and educated Pauline naturally went to Leighton Winter, out at Brocklehurst, near Dubbo.
"Leighton bred, owned and reared Total Denial, the best greyhound we have trained, and just as he did with that dog, he did a fabulous job preparing Tiger Nine for the racetrack.
"Apparently Robbie Farah noticed Tiger Nine was racing at Richmond and according to his Instagram account, he had a small bet on the dog.''
The Morans' Total Denial won 22 of 41 races between 2001 and 2003, broke the Sandown and Wentworth Park long distance records and took out the 710m Albion Park Gold Cup.
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MISS Focus, bought for $2500 after winning one from six starts, took her record to 17 wins from 38 appearances at Richmond on Friday night.
Owned by Jimmy Vescos in partnership with her trainer Ricky Brewer, Miss Focus was sent out at the generous odds of $7 because she was tackling one of the "hottest'' 400m lineups seen at the Londonderry circuit this year.
Her rivals included Wentworth Park top grader Tap Out Dusty and Guiding Light, who went into the race with the perfect Richmond record of seven wins from seven appearances.
Miss Focus covered Friday's 400m in 22.75s, consistent with the figures she has posted in a string of 400m Richmond wins, which included five consecutive victories in May and June.
"We're really proud of her because Friday's field was the toughest she had competed against and considering she is over four years old she is doing a great job,'' trainer Brewer said.
"It's unlikely I will step her up in distance because I am worried that if I try her over 520m, she might lose some of her early pace.
"Maybe I should have tested her over a longer trip earlier in her career but she has been a terrific money-spinner and has earned more than $20,000.
"When you buy a greyhound for $2500 the best you can usually hope for is to win a couple of races, but she has won 16 for us.''
Miss Focus' win was the beginning of a successful meeting for trainer Ricky Brewer, with his other smart short course speedster Nandor Junior notching his seventh win in 18 starts later in the night.
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BOOK Of Luck, a finalist in Veloce Nero's Group 1 Association Cup at Wentworth Park on April 20, has been retired to stud.
After winning over 720m in a tidy 42.48s at Wentworth Park on July 27, the Craig Sheridan-owned and trained greyhound failed to finish in a race there on August 3.
She was later found to have suffered a career ending dropped hind leg muscle.
"Hopefully she will come in season when the weather warms up and I plan on mating her with either Fernando Bale or Barcia Bale, with Fernando Bale the preferred option at this stage,'' Sheridan.
Book Of Luck is superbly bred and was lightly raced, facing the starter on just 35 occasions for 10 wins and 11 placings.
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Seaside Shuffle gave popular Londonderry trainer Alan Proctor a welcome boost with the former Victorian notching his first Wentworth Park win on Saturday night after being ringing up an exasperating 17 placings from 21 starts at headquarters.
Proctor has been sidelined with a stint in hospital and it has been left to wife Christine to look after the couple's two dozen greyhounds.
"It has been a lot of work for Christine on her own so I need to be back on deck as soon as possible,'' Proctor said.
"We have just taken delivery of Seaside Shuffle's litter brother Ask Me Now, who has won nine races in Victoria, and will be nominated for Richmond on Friday night.''
