Fellow trainers ensure a flat tyre doesn't stop Karen

Not that anyone in the industry would need proof, but on Tuesday night Karen Woods experienced the amazing camaraderie of greyhound participants, and a special random act of kindness. 

Karen had left her home at Nabiac just south of Taree, bound for LADBROKES GARDENS with three runners engaged at the meeting. 

About half an hour out of Newcastle, just before the Hexham Bridge, Karen heard the sound all drivers dread, the thumping of a flat tyre. 

“Oh my Lord what a night,” she said on Wednesday recapping the events of night before. “I heard this thumpity thump, that sounds like a flat tyre and I had to get from the inside lane across to the shoulder and probably drove a kilometre before I could get across. 

“Where I was it was just over a rise, so I had to be careful, wait for the traffic lights behind me to change so I could get out and look at the tyre. Sure enough the rear passenger tyre was gone, but thankfully it hadn’t been the dog trailer tyre.” 

Karen called the track to let them know of her predicament, and was told she could have until as late as possible to kennel, but the dogs needed to be kenneled for half an hour before that first race. 

“I called the NRMA but they said they would be upto two hours before they could get there. They asked if I was safe and told them it wasn’t ideal so they said they would prioritise me, but it could still be a while. 

“I was sitting there a bit scared, worried about someone coming over the rise and hitting the trailer, then I got a phone call from Mark Davidson. He said: “Is that you on the side of the road?” He said he had just gone past but would swing back around. 

“When he got back to me, he said he had one in the first race too, and he could fit two dogs in his van and take them to the Gardens, so he took the two in the first race with him. 

“Then as we were loading into his van, another car pulls up and it was CHRIS Van Vegchel, and he says he can take the one which was in race 5. 

“While I’m waiting, another trainer, Tony Mason, who was just going to vet, saw the trailer and stopped to see if I was OK. 

“Finally a truck pulls up and the driver said: “My colleague called me and told me you have a flat tyre.” He got out, changed the tyre, I said thanks, and off he went.” 

Spare tyre in place, Karen headed to LADBROKES GARDENS and made it in time for the opening event. 

“When I got there it was amazing. Mark and CHRIS had organised people to handle the two dogs in the first race in case I hadn’t make it time.” 

Happy Dash flew out of the boxes and raced away and won the maiden by 4¼ lengths, while Bat Mobile ran on well to finish third in the opening event.

Karen didn’t have the same luck with King Colin in race five, but what started out a dramatic night, ended in overall success. 

“After the first race I went out to ring home, and I had a missed call and a message from the NRMA saying can you call us because our technician can’t find your card,” Karen explained. “I called and said your guy came and changed my tyre. They said no he didn’t. He was still looking for my vehicle. 

“When I told her that a flat bed truck with flashing orange lights came to change my tyre, she said: “That’s not us. That’s not the NRMA.” 

“So it seems some random, really nice bloke, has just done this to help me out. 

“If that, and the entire night and help from Mark and CHRIS and Tony, doesn’t restore your faith in humanity, I don’t know what would. I just wish I knew who the random bloke was so I could properly thank him.”