Saint Dexter may have won only a modest 324m maiden up the straight at Richmond last Saturday but the win had deep significance for trainer Nathan Doggett who named the greyhound after the man who saved his life.
Dr Mark Dexter was a neurosurgeon at Westmead Hospital when Doggett was admitted in June, 2018, suffering horrific injuries from a freak accident.
Doggett was returning home from football training near Portland when a passing car struck a kangaroo and flung the severely hurt animal through the windscreen of his car.
The panicky and terrified kangaroo inflicted terrible injuries on Doggett as it attempted to claw free while he was pinned down by his seatbelt.
Doggett suffered further injuries when his car crashed and was left with his life hanging by a thread.
"Over the next couple of years Dr Mark Dexter performed 17 separate surgeries on my skull, brain and face and I even had a partial reconstruction of my face,'' Doggett recalled.
"I was told it was unlikely I would walk again but from my hospital bed I watched Mystic Riot win the 2018 Million Dollar Chase and when her trainer Peter Lagogiane sprinted down the home straight, throwing his arms in the air, I was determined to train greyhounds again.
"Peter's exuberance inspired me and when I came out of hospital I used to make regular trips by public transport from my home in Lithgow to see Dr Dexter at Westmead Hospital.
"He was always amazed I was able to do that but I vowed that when I got another greyhound with ability I would name it after him.
"I had bought a bitch puppy I named Westmead Diva from breeder Dennis Barnes when he contacted me to say her litter brother, by Mepunga Blazer out of his good race bitch Nangar Diva, was also available.
"So I bought the dog pup too and when he started trialling brilliantly I named him Saint Dexter, after the neurosurgeon who saved my life.
"My neighbour Ron Seymour, who trained the 1993 Golden Easter Egg winner Billy Binjang, has always been my mentor and he has been with Saint Dexter and myself every step of the way.
"Saint Dexter has so much ability I am already planning to get him ready for the New Sensation at Wentworth Park during the Golden Easter Egg carnival.''
The remarkable Nathan Doggett landed a winning double at Richmond last Saturday as he also scored with Irish Bistoe, whose owners Charlie Riccio and his son MATTHEW raced the flying Caishen, winner of 18 races and over $103,000.
"Charlie ran out of kennel space and a fortnight ago asked me to train Irish Bistoe,'' Doggett said.
