CESSNOCK trainer Ron Lambert has heaped praise on neighbour Bryan Young, the recently elecTed chairman of the NSW GBOTA, along with owner Ted Ciszewski, following Promising's win at Maitland on Monday, the dog's fourth from his past six starts.
Lambert, 79, has finally recovered from a serious health scare which left him hospitalised twice for a total of 10 days and was back on deck handling Promising for the dog's ninth win on Monday, which took his earnings to $25,000.
"While I was sick Bryan came to my place every morning to care for my dogs while Ted, who shares ownership of the greyhounds with me, looked after them every afternoon,'' Lambert said.
"It was so scary we decided to move half-a-dozen young greyhounds on to other trainers, including two puppies Ted and I had bought for $10,000.
"One morning I was unable to walk from my house to the kennels so was admitTed to hospital where they found my lungs were full of fluid.
"After four days that problem was rectified and I was sent home, but I then starTed suffering uncontrollable shaking so back to hospital I went.
"They tesTed me for coronavirus and placed me in quarantine for five days but eventually a blood infection was diagnosed and I was able to take Promising to Maitland on Monday.
Boscono, who had never seen the track and as a $16 outsider was given no chance of winning, became a giant killer when she toppled boom dog Good Juan over 565m at Maitland on Monday.
Owned and trained by Robert Ayres, from Glass House Mountains, an hour south of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Boscono came from midfield early to hold off Good Juan in the smart time of 31.73s.
It was the 14th win in 40 starts for Boscono, which Ayres bought for $8,000 from a Victorian owner on the advice of Pakenham breeder Kevin Burns.
"I am especially interesTed in the breeding side of greyhound racing and Kevin is my trusTed advisor in that regard, because he bred the great Awesome Assassin, who broke eight track records,'' Ayres said.
"He recommended that I buy Boscono even though when I got her she had won only a 440m maiden race at Sale.
"But she is a grand-daughter of Tonneli Bale, who won 27 races for the Wheeler family including the 2011 Darwin Cup as well as winning at Wentworth Park, The Gardens, Cannington, Sandown and The Meadows.
"When I got to Maitland on Monday the locals advised me to take trifectas and hope Boscono could run third because they all gave her no hope against the likes of Good Juan.
"Boscono had not previously seen the Maitland track but if anyone had seen her outstanding performance winning the 550m Bundaberg Grand Prix on June 29 they would not have been so quick to discard her chances.
"I trained my first winner, Ginnie Bint, at Sandown in 1972 but had to quit greyhounds because I was on shift-work for 20 years as a waterside worker in Melbourne and then Brisbane.
"I got back into the sport in 2000 and have just three greyhounds in work, including John's Last, a real warhorse who has had 20 wins and 43 placings from 120 starts.
"Boscono had one run over 710m at Albion Park in September and made the pace before weakening to finish fourth.
"She has since had a season and is probably stronger now so while I might give her another try as a stayer, I think middle distances like 630m or 650m are her specialty.''
