
Run Fast Maximus is still running, and still running very fast
He turns six in January, but age is not slowing down Run Fast Maximus.
At start 119 on November 10, Run Fast Maximus won his 42nd race at Wagga. He also has gathered 50 placings in his career. In his last 13 starts the Clint Colaiacovo-trained Run Fast Maximus has remarkably registered six wins and six second placings.
Gappy Birthday
Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) celebrated their 15th birthday on November 13. The organisation has grown significantly over the years with now two rehoming centres - one at Wyee on the NSW Central Coast and one at Londonderry in Western Sydney - as well as regional programs around the state, and in 2022-23 the team conducted more than 100 events and activations around NSW.
The GAP team helped GRNSW set a new record of 2,202 greyhounds re-homed in 2022-23. For anyone interested in fostering or adopting a new family member, head to gapnsw.com.au
Women winning
Women have enjoyed great success in greyhound racing for many years and the growth of female participants continues at a great rate, but at Wagga recently it went to a new level.
The rare achievement came on November 10, when women trained the trifecta in the club's annual feature race, the $25,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Bidgee Cup.
Margaret Keys won the race with Tiggerlong Amy, Helen Finn trains second-placed Tiggerlong Ruby while Jess Fothergill trains third placed Scorching Boy.
First in 50
Central Coast trainer Susan Smith won the final of the world's richest short course event, The Thunderbolt at Grafton, with her kennel star Vamoose in June. Earlier this month she achieved a first in her training career. Susan trained a winning double at Wentworth Park when My Hepburn and Whiskey Cobbler, greyhounds she bred and owns, were victorious.
Having started in the sport when she was 22, the now 72-year-old was delighted at her first ever city double.
Award winners
The Greyhound Breeders, Owners, and Trainers Association held their annual awards dinner on November 13. Daniel Gatt's Wyndra All Class won Member's Greyhound of the Year, Michelle Sultana was awarded Metropolitan Trainer of the Year, Metropolitan Greyhound of the Year went to Ibrox Wildfire, Andrew Bell won the Provincial Trainer of the Year, Susan Smith's Vamoose was Provincial Greyhound of the Year, and Country Trainer of the Year went to Sam Simonetta.
Cessnock success
The Cessnock club held a very successful gymkhana at their track on November 5. In total 16 events were run across various distances with a wide variety of prizes on offer on the day.
The theme was Hawaiian shirts for competitors and everyone got into the spirit of the day. The club are planning another gymkhana early in the New Year.
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.