“Good Odds Harada in full flight … Oh Frank’s back and so is Harada.” Those words of racecaller Gary Clark echoed through the industry on Tuesday night, signaling the return of two of the sport’s favourites in the final event at Bulli.
For Hurst, it was a welcome back to the track having endured an horrendous time over recent months, firstly breaking his collarbone and elbow in a trial track accident when knocked over by a dog - injuries which required plates being put into both arms - and then as a result of that incident, doctors discovering a brain tumour which required 8.5 hours of surgery to remove.
Thankfully Hurst has recovered well, and his peers - and racing fans - were delighted to see him back on track at Bulli.
Good Odds Harada - who famously won last year’s TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Final at Wentworth Park - had spent time with leading NSW mentor Jason Magri, and then leading Victorian trainer Anthony Azzopardi since Hurst’s injury. On Tuesday night he having his first start for Hurst in five months at Bulli over the 400m, having only rejoined his Londonderry kennel in June.
The millionaire greyhound was brilliant, sharing the lead upon jumping, then powering away for a stunning six length win and recording sensational figures of 22.07s.
That time is just two lengths outside the track record of dual Bulli Gold Cup winner Pindari Express, who set the standard when clocking 21.93s winning there back in February 2019. A week later the dog known as the Freight Train clocked 22.01s.
Pindari Express - in those two runs - is the only dog to have gone faster than Good Odds Harada did on Tuesday night, with the flying Ebby Infrared clocking 22.09s at the track back in April to be next quickest.
The win improved Good Odds Harada’s record to 28 wins and 25 placings from 63 starts, and the $1,700 prize money saw his career earnings increase to $1,289,335, just under $10,000 shy of Fernando Bale’s $1,299,370.
