The Freight Train has left the track. Pindari Express, known to his trainer Tracey Scruse as Charlie, and to the racing world as the Freight Train, has been retired from racing.
Scruse announced on Thursday that following his historic win in the Cyril Rowe Bulli Gold Cup last Saturday, she has decided to bring his racing career to an end
Last Saturday, finishing with a withering burst, Pindari Express stormed to victory, becoming the first greyhound to win back to back Bulli Gold Cups.
“The timing was just right,” Scruse said of the decision. “It was just fitting. To start his career at Bulli and to finish it at Bulli … it seems special.
“He started his career by equalling the track record at Bulli, and finished it with creating history winning it back to back for first time ever. The timing was perfect.”
Pindari Express raced 32 times for 18 wins and 10 placings and amassed $138,470 in prizemoney.
He contested numerous big races, but the biggest and a natural highlight of his career was the TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Final at Wentworth Pak on October 18 last year, where he finished fifth to Good Odds Harada.
“Just being a part of it, just to make the final of the Million Dollar Chase, and the lead up all week, all the hype … it was the biggest race of his career.”
She declared it was difficult to pick a standout of his career among the features, the track records and the big wins.
“It’s been the ride of our lives,” she said. “He has been our first track record holder, our first city winner, our first group winner and now he’s our first stud dog.”
Pindari Express was the only dog in the Chifley kennels of Scruse, but his retirement won’t mean an end to her training career.
“Now Charlie’s career is over, I can say I do have a young bloke, he’s 19 months old, he’s a Fernando Bale pup, out of Cop A Sling and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do on the track.”
Pindari Express joins a growing line of good racing dogs retired to stud of late. Feral Franky, Sennachie, and Good Odds Harada, and now Pindari Express, have all been sent to stud in the past month.
