Hudson, who was 81, is survived by his wife Carol, their children Adam, Samantha and Gavin, and their grand-children and great grand-children.
After Black Magic Opal gave the Hudsons their biggest success in nearly 60 years in the sport by winning the Maitland Cup, the dog was sold to a Melbourne owner and trained by Jason Thompson.
Black Magic Opal went on to win the 2013 Melbourne Cup for Thompson, who generously flew Carol and Les Hudson to Sandown so they could be trackside to watch their old dog win the big race.
Carol Hudson said: "Les contracted asbestosis while operating an excavator at a power station 40 years ago but became really sick three years back.
"He fought bravely against the disease and had been fiercely determined to still be here for our 60th wedding anniversary which we were able to spend together on March 17.''
Black Magic Opal, far and away the best of the many handy greyhounds the Hudsons bred, owned and trained, was produced by Awesome Opal, a bitch which cost them just $800 as a puppy.
Awesome Opal was a handy race bitch whose first offspring included Opal Cove, who won 21 races for the Hudsons.
But she then produced Black Magic Opal, who won a remarkable 35 from 48 races.
"After he won the Maitland Cup we were inundated with offers and agreed to sell him to Jason Thompson's client for $120,000,'' Carol Hudson said.
"Before the deal was completed we received another offer of $150,000 for Black Magic Opal but Les and I insisted we had given Thompson our word that we would sell him the dog for $120,000 and that was final.''
Carol and Les Hudson were childhood sweethearts from Wyong High School and got into greyhound racing by accident.
Les once told me: "I was delivering bread for Carol's father Gordon Carpenter, who had a bakery, when this weird looking dog ambled up to me.
"I didn't know what breed it was but I liked the look of him and its owner finished up giving it to us.
"The dog's name was Weedy Linen and as we went to pick him up in my 1949 Singer convertible Carol had to hold the dog with her on the front passenger seat.
"Needless to say Weedy Linen didn't win a race for us but he got us hooked on the sport.''
GRNSW and Les and Carol's wide circle of friends in the greyhound industry wish to offer their sincere condolences to the Hudson family.
