When country jockey Johnny Hyde passed away suddenly his four sisters decided to buy a greyhound and name their puppy in honour of their brother's memory.
On Monday at Bathurst that puppy, racing as Johnny Be Frank, scored an impressive 450m maiden win after pushing determinedly towards the rails from box five and scoring easily in a handy 26.30.
Sandra Spratt, the daughter of the dog's breeder Dennis Barnes, explained: "My husband Chris trains Johnny Be Frank for his mother Eleanor Spratt and her sisters Val Rhodes, Aileen Bennett and Jennifer Marchant.
"We educated the dog and he broke in really well but after a couple of setbacks his racing was delayed until he contested a race at Dubbo race on October 22 when he lost all chance through being skittled at the start.
"I was a bit concerned that interference might have dented his confidence for last Monday but it obviously didn't worry him at all so he looks to have a good future.''
The late Johnny Hyde rode successfully at WELLINGTON, MUDGEE and more recently at Coffs Harbour.
Sydney's most exciting young sprinter Zipping Orlando will launch his Melbourne Cup campaign at Sandown, venue for this month's group one event, on Sunday.
Zipping Orlando, who has won eight of 10 races, including six in succession at Wentworth Park, trialled well at Sandown in preparation for Sunday's meeting.
Minnie Finn, whose husband John trains Zipping Orlando, said: "I gave the dog a box-to-box hit-out at Sandown recently and he went extra well.''
A combination of having too many greyhounds in work and Dapper Ethics' indifferent box manners prompted the dog's owner, Super Estrella's trainer David Smith, to send the youngster to fellow trainer Mark Farrugia.
And on Tuesday Dapper Ethics, who has been with Farrugia for just four weeks, began only fairly but railed to the lead at the first turn before taking out the $12,000 to the winner Graham Gibbons Memorial Maiden over 472m at Bulli.
Dapper Ethics, a son of the Smith-owned, Peter Mantach-trained White Sox Ethics, holder of the Dapto 729m track record, whelped in June, 2020, covered the 472m in a nippy 26.59sec.
"I knew Dapper Ethics could run but not only did I have too many to train myself but his box manners needed work and Mark Farrugia has done more with greyhounds in that field than anyone I know,'' David Smith said.
"Dapper Ethics had been playing up in the boxes so I asked Mark to work on that problem, and knowing the sort of bloke he is I knew he would refuse any financial reward so instead gave him the dog to train.''
