The more the story evolves, the more remarkable it becomes. Siblings ... three brothers and one of their sisters, have now all qualified for the semi-finals of the TAB Million Dollar Chase. Just a remarkable tale.
It’s a story which began back on April 15, 2017, when a broodbitch called Solar Pak, whelped a litter of pups to Collision.
Her first litter to Fernando Bale were just being broken in and showing some promising signs. They would eventually win over 100 races between them, and as amazing as that feat is, their half-brothers and sisters are going about dwarfing those achievements each time one of them steps onto a track these days.
And they are each using the TAB Million Dollar Chase as a perfect stage.
First there was Good Odds Harada and his sister Solar Sky advancing to the October 11 semis of the world richest greyhound race from the Bathurst Regional Final last Saturday.
The following night the sport’s latest superstar Feral Franky – a brother of the Bathurst qualifiers – smashed the track record at Gunnedah on his way to qualifying for the Chase semis.
Then, on Thursday night, it was another sibling, Good Odds BUDDY, racing away for a resounding win in the Dapto Regional Final.
The offspring of Collision and Solar Pak, are now four starters for four qualifiers in the Million Dollar Chase, have won three of the four Regional Finals, and on Sunday, another brother, the Mick Hardman-trained Inversion will begin his campaign at Dubbo to make it five from five.
Just remarkable!
Like Good Odds Harada, Good Odds BUDDY is trained by Frank Hurst, who admitted that he initially thought that only the winners would advance from the Regional Finals, and that was the only reason why he sent Harada to Bathurst and Buddy to Dapto.
The misunderstanding has certainly worked out well from Frank.
Considered a good thing beaten in last week’s heats, Good Odds BUDDY jumped well on Thursday, drove through on the first turn and swung into the back chasing the leader My Bro’s Ethics.
Heading into the top turn and Good Odds BUDDY swept to the front and would race away to win by 1 ½ length from the fast finishing Kraken Spike, just ahead of My Bro’s Ethics, with Furious Not Fast finishing fourth and grabbing the final semi-final spot which was on offer.
The winner clocked a handy 29.75s, the fastest BUDDY had gone at Dapto, and improved his record at the South Coast circuit to four starts for three wins and a second. It also took BUDDY’s overall record to 13 wins and 12 placings from 35 starts.
“He’s joining his illustrious brothers and taking another step on the way to the Million Dollar race,” trainer Frank Hurst, who also trains Good Odds Harada, said.
“It’s a very special litter. She is a special bitch and credit goes to the owner and the breeder for selecting the right sires for the bitch, and she just keeps producing. She’s making us all happy.
“He (Good Odds BUDDY) had the box (two) tonight where he could finish up in a good spot, and where he could finish the race off, and that’s what he’s done.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m being smart but he’s a very strong dog, and there are not many dogs, who can run him down if he gets to the front. I don’t even think his brothers could run him down.”
Hurst also trains Goods Odds Meghan, a sister to the already qualified quartet, and he will take her to LADBROKES GARDENS in coming weeks to try and qualify another Solar Pak offspring into the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals.
