Peter Cole, a former long-term employee of the Greyhound Breeders, Owners, Trainers Association and son of that association's life member Fay Kosowski, has died after a short illness.
Peter died shortly before his 59th birthday.
Few industry figures have filled so many roles as Peter Cole, who worked at Wentworth Park as a track manager, race night starter and kennel supervisor, as well as being a highly successful owner.
When the Young Greyhound Club staged a raffle in the mid 1990s, the prize was a young greyhound and Peter, buying a ticket for just $10, won the puppy.
Named Red Mystique, that puppy became one of Australia's best stayers.
Originally trained by Peter's mother Fay Kosowski, Red Mystique won her first two races over 508m at Dapto in June 1996, before being transferred to the kennels of Denis and Bev Mahoney.
Under the care of the Mahoneys, renowned for their expertise with stayers, Red Mystique won four long distance races in succession at Wentworth Park, including a heat and final of the Tedesco Formal Wear Trophy.
In 1997 she became the first NSW-trained stayer to win the coveted Sir John Dillon Memorial at Sandown, before reaching the final of Australia's biggest long distance race, the Sandown Cup.
She was unplaced behind Tonight's Wish, but a year later Red Mystique turned the tables on that greyhound, taking out the $50,000 to the winner final of that prestigious event.
Red Mystique won major races in the NSW, Victoria and Queensland, retiring with 33 wins from 69 starts and nearly $200,000 prizemoney.
She won 14 of 26 long distance races at Wentworth Park and five from 10 staying events at Melbourne's Sandown.
GRNSW wishes to extend its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Peter Cole, especially to his mother Fay Kosowski, a tireless worker over many decades for the GBOTA and greyhound racing in general.
