When Running Reds saluted in his semi-final of The Thunderbolt on Sunday evening, an almighty roar rang out around the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club.
It was his trainer, Johnny Grief, bellowing into the crisp night air.
The 46-year-old overloaded with adrenaline, overcome with emotion, and overjoyed at the fact he had just qualified for the biggest race of his life.
“I know how to ride ‘em hard,” Grief laughed.
“But battlers like us, we just don’t make these types of finals,” he added.
John Grief gives Running Reds a kiss of approval following his semi-final win
A veteran of more than 30 years in the greyhound game, Grief was introduced to the sport by his parents, John and Joanne Zammit.
Grief’s father, who sadly passed away in 2019 after complications with diabetes and cancer, sure to be at the forefront of his sons mind when he begins the walk to the boxes in Saturday’s $75,000-to-the-winner Thunderbolt final.
“Every time something special happens on the dog track, I think about him, I just wish he was still here,” Grief said.
“I still remember the first dog he introduced me too back in 1991, a bitch called Butterfly Blue. We were friends with the owners and she won the Richmond and Penrith Oaks, so she got us hooked. We then bought the litter brother, Blue Zammit, and away we went,” he added.
The Londonderry-based trainer picking up a decent race here or there over the years, now honing in on the biggest payday of his career.
Grief with 2023 Canterbury Bankstown Cup winner, From The Area
“Honestly, I still can’t believe I’m in the final, I really can’t. I put the plan in place about eight weeks ago and everything has worked out the way I hoped and thought it would,” Grief said.
“The idea was always to go to Grafton for the last round of Thunderbolt heats. I could have gone around at Richmond where he would have run well, but at the end of the day, he was always going to have to win in Grafton at some stage.”
“So we travelled up to trial before his first start at the track on June 11. Then we had the semis, and this will be his fourth run so hopefully he has some improvement left in him.”
Running Reds will jump from Box 8 in the decider on Saturday evening, with Grief hopeful the draw will suit his chaser to perfection.
“I think he’s perfectly boxed. I don’t think he’ll got touched out there and if any of the good dogs on the inside get tangled up, he could pinch a break. He had the quickest first and second section in the semi-finals so he’s right in it,” Grief said.
“I gave up work two years ago to do this fulltime and the results I’ve had in the last 18 months, I’m just absolutely thrilled with. I’ve got some terrific owners (Aaron Baker and David Grima), they’re the only people I train for and they’re more like brothers than owners so hopefully he can do it for them.”
“If we do win, it’s going to go one of two ways. I’ll either be a mess and you will have to hold me up, or I’ll just be so over the moon and in shock that I won’t know what to do.”
The GRNSW Thunderbolt final will go off at 7:07pm on Saturday, June 24 at the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club.
Head to ‘The Dogs’ social pages for all the live action and reaction from the evening.
