Retired professional fisherman Tim Richards could not afford the $5000 apiece that breeders Cameron and Yvonne Butcher were asking for two puppies early in 2020 but they agreed to let him have one for no cost if he reared the other youngster on their behalf.
The black pup Richards selected now races as He's On Fire, and while his earnings soared to more than $55,000 after he led throughout to win his semi-final of the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park last Saturday, the dog is now in with a great chance of snaring the $1 million first prize in this Saturday's final.
He's On Fire came to NSW from Menindee, two hours out of Adelaide, to be prepared by Nowra trainer Allan Manwaring for the National Straight Track Championship at Richmond on August 27.
After finishing third to Darren Sultana's straight track superstar Mr America in that race, Manwaring set He's On Fire for the Million Dollar Chase.
He's On Fire posted a brilliant first split of 5.38 when a tiring second to She's A Pearl in his heat of the Chase, before reeling off a near record 5.30 in his semi-final win last Friday.
He's On Fire clocked a flying 13.51 for the second split where he had set up a lead of nearly 10 lengths over She's A Pearl, and while he tired badly in the straight, running home in a slow 12.02, he still had nearly two lengths to spare at the finish.
Richards said: "It was a friend of mine from Queensland, Kevin Murnane, who suggested I send him to Allan and Elle Manwaring.
"I picked He's On Fire as my pup from the litter the Butchers had by On Fire, a handy dog they had raced, from She's A Looper, by throwing a squeaky toy into the yard.
"Because He's On Fire was the first to reach the toy I nominated him as the one I wanted to keep.''
Zambora Ted goes into Tuesday night's 400m ninth race at Bulli as the new holder of the Richmond 401m track record.
Zambora Ted shaved .04sec off Laurie's Alonso's record when he led throughout in 22.37, taking his tally to eight wins and two placings from 11 starts.
A jubilant owner Joe Sciberras said: "I've raced greyhounds for many, many years, and this is my first track record holder so I'm over the moon.''
Zambora Ted's trainer Jason Magri is unsure whether the dog will scale the heights when he tackles 520m races.
"I am building him up to it but when a greyhound has as much early brilliance as Zambora Ted, they often can't keep up that sort of speed for an additional 100 or so metres,'' Magri said.
Agland Luai, who will exit box four in Saturday night's TAB Million Dollar Chase final, was a lucky acquisition for 19-year-old Jay Opetaia.
Breeder Rodney O'Brien had intended to keep the blue brindle dog puppy whelped by his former smart race bitch She's Grand in July, 2020.
"Jay contacted me wanting to buy a pup but particularly wanted the blue brindle youngster and I felt that if I was going to be a breeder I could not pick and choose which ones to keep and which to sell,' O'Brien said.
"I was asking $5000 for the puppies but when Jay approached me I said he could have the blue brindle dog, which races as Agland Luai, for $4000 so long as he put a deposit down, and he did not hesitate.''
Ironically He's Grand, a brindle youngster from the litter which O'Brien kept and trains himself, finished fourth in Hold Me Up's Million Dollar Chase semi-final last Saturday.
