Halligan's High Praise After ‘Golden' Career Over

WALLSEND trainer Troy Halligan has heaped the ultimate praise on Colyton Veterinary Hospital following the injury sustained by his star racer Golden Phase at The Gardens on Saturday night.

No more than three hours after injury curtailed her flourishing 19 start career, Golden Phase was at Colyton being x-rayed before being operated on successfully Monday morning.

"I can't speak highly enough of what they did for us," Halligan said.

READ: Halligan's MDC Dream No Passing ‘Phase'

"About an hour after the race I was in the car taking her down to Colyton and (Dr) Dalton (Nguyen) met us there to x-ray her at 11pm and couldn't have been more helpful.

"He operated on her Monday morning and all went well. We are looking forward to her coming home on the weekend."

Winner at 10 of her 19 career starts, Golden Phase, a daughter of Zipping Garth and Zoey My Darlin', sparked Halligan's return to greyhound racing in early 2024 following eight years in the wilderness.

And she did so in the most memorable of fashion, scoring on debut under the bright lights at Wentworth Park at Easter time last year, winning a heat of the Ladbrokes Magic Maiden.

But it was her recent foray to middle distance racing that had Halligan most excited.

"I went there on Saturday night confident that on the lure she could break the 600 metre track record," Halligan said.

"The plan after Saturday night was to trial her at Dubbo and start getting her ready for the Country Classic and hopefully later on The 715 at The Gardens.

"But that's obviously all over now."

With winning times of 29.53 at Wentworth Park, 29.38 at The Gardens and 24.89 at Maitland, Golden Phase looms as a valuable breeding proposition.

"That's the plan for sure – we'll have to breed with her," Halligan said.

"But for now we are just looking forward to getting her home.”

From a litter that has won 40 of their collective 154 starts, Golden Phase's retirement follows the injury enforced end to the career of litter sister Our Lil Darlin' which had scored in fast time at The Gardens and Maitland.