Greyhound racing: American Warrior a deserving top dog winner

File photo / 123RF

Speed freak puppy American Warrior is the New Zealand greyhound of the year.

"It is a great thrill and a real honour to receive this award," commented Dave Fahey after American Warrior, who he trains with his wife Jean, was announced as the winner in Invercargill on Saturday.

American Warrior easily won the nation's richest greyhound race, the $100,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup. He also won two group two races, broke two track records and he went on to be the highest stakes earner with $130,555 during the season.

It was a huge evening of accolades for Lisa and Brendon Cole. Lisa won the national Trainer's Premiership after mentoring 713 winners. She also trained the leading NZ bred greyhound Allegro Gun; Hifi Allegro was the NZ Dam of the Year winner, plus the couple were named the NZ Breeders of the Year.

New Zealand's highest stakes earning greyhound Little Mother, trained by the Cole's throughout her illustrious career, was inducted into the NZ Hall Greyhound of Fame. Little Mother won 85 races (six group ones) winning $377,751.

The late Sam Fletcher, a leading national administrator, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Love Our Dogs is a newly instigated award which recognises greyhound welfare. For many years and prior to today's greyhound rehoming programmes, the Craik family went to extreme lengths to ensure quality of live for their chasers after racing.

Based in Drury, Ben and Barbara Craik, along with their daughters Lisa and Tracy are deservedly the inaugural recipients of the welfare award.

Sharp Canterbury sprinter Swimming Goat won the International award in recognition of the wide spread publicity he generated for New Zealand greyhound racing in Australia when winning his record 22 consecutive races.

Other northern based award winners included the Karen Walsh prepared Timmy Trumpet, who in the last greyhound race of the season won a 457m Manawatu event to snatch the points based NZ Middle Distance title. Shandell won her third consecutive NZ Stayer of the Year title. Cambridge owner and trainer Arch Lawrence has retired her and Shandell heads into the breeding kennels as the winner of $235,132.