Freakish Pup Shatters Ascot Park Track Record

"He's an absolute freak," claimed Canterbury conditioner Tony Hart after his charge Postman Pat shattered the Ascot Park 457m track record last Sunday.

It was a powerful sprint that the son of Hooked On Scotch and Birdie Tee produced when he stopped the clock in a sizzling 25.49s.

In doing so he erased the 25.57s that American Warrior had inscribed in the Southland Club's record book, when setting his 457m time standard back in May 2017.

It was no mug field that Postman Pat strongly dealt to as chasing him home, three-lengths astern, was the Dave and Jean Fahey prepared recent $100,000 New Zealand Cup winner Opawa Superstar.

HOOKED ON SCOTCH AT STUD

"He was tad slow (from trap-1), however once he finds his feet he has phenomenal speed – geez I hate to think what he could run if he ever picks the jump," expressed Hart.

"He's such a cool dude who just cruises along. He's so relaxed and you can do anything with him, however when he arrives at a race track he turns into a professional race dog."

Sunday's race on the world's most southern located greyhound track was a heat for the December 23 Group 2 Far South Challenge and Hart will be returning with another pair of kennel stars after Big Daddy led home kennelmate and last year's winner of this race Charlotte Lu by 2.25 lengths, clocking 25.69s in the other heat.

"Big Daddy has a massive will to win. He will barge his way through fields," commented Hart about the son of Fernando Bale and Rosa Tee, which has won eight of his nine races.

Hart has set some lofty black type plans for Postman Pat, who advanced his career record to an impressive eight wins from his ten race day assignments (2 seconds), most of which has been achieved in slippery times.

"Following this final he will go north to Cambridge for the Waikato Classic (457m). Then he will return to Addington for the NZ St Leger (520m). Safely through those he will go back up north to Manukau for the Auckland Cup (527m) then go onto Cambridge for the NZ Derby (457m).

From there it is likely Postman Pat will cross the Tasman and will be based in Melbourne in a campaign that Hart will set in conjunction with Hooked On Scotch's stud-master Darren Puleio as Hart explains.

"I'm in constant contact with Darren who considers Pat will be very competitive over there. He has me advised that possibly either Anthony Azzopardi of Jason Thompson will train him over there."          

The Postman Pat, Big Daddy and many other quality chasers story started in 2012 when the late legendary NZ Hall of Fame trainer Ray Adcock spotted a Greyhound Recorder advertisement offering Mini's Fantasy for sale.

Adcock recommended to kennel clients Donald and Jose Arthur to buy her with the intention to breed from her. They did and as they say, the rest is history as the bulk of the current stream of classy greyhounds.in the Hart kennels are from Mini Fantasy's daughters.

And the breeding program continues with another daughter Sonja recently whelping her first litter of seven pups to Hooked On Scotch.

"We are rapt with them, plus some other Hooked On Scotch sired litters at various age-stages we have here.

The team we have working here are absolutely brilliant – they do everything very professionally," said Hart, who along with his partner Kristy Taylor really acknowledges the work that Dillon Voyce, Cameron Tomberston, Taylor Duely and Esther Heal does to produce the kennels outstanding results. 

"And we have total support from Don and Jose Arthur – they are fantastic owners who give us a free hand for the racing operation," enthused Hart.

Photo credit – Dave Robbie