Hot Sennachie Pup Makes Puppy Classic His Own

HARDEN Up Johnny, a son of Sennachie, has the Launceston Gold Collar as his next major target after storming to victory in the George & Eileen Johnston Puppy Championship Final (461m) at Hobart on Tuesday.

Heading towards the rail from box eight in the dash to the first turn, Harden Up Johnny's box manners and early pace afforded him the luxury of a clear path across, and he never looked in doubt as he kept up a searing gallop throughout.

A jam up into the first turn put the favourite Raider's Guide in bother, eventually running home to finishing strongly for fourth.

Powering away well clear in the home straight, the Josh Wright-trained Harden Up Johnny went on to score by almost seven lengths from the fast-finishing Finloch Cash with Hey Thunder in third, the winner clocking the smart run of 26.15s on a rain-affected track.

Winning trainer Josh Wright said he was beyond proud to see the fawn chaser show great class in taking out the race.

"You would have to agree that was his best run, finally the dog has put things together,” Wright said.

“That was a pretty tough field, and the track was absolutely slush from all the rain so he couldn't have gone better.

"The class amongst that field was so strong and you will see some outstanding dogs come from this race over time."

With success in the final the son of Sennachie and Silent Boloney has won seven races in 11 starts and $22,385 in prize money, while the litter overall, having yet turned two years of age, have already claimed 14 victories.

From his earliest start in the greyhound industry, Wright had never imagined the success he would now achieve.

"I never really set out to breed dogs when first starting out, my dad (John Wright) and I went about just buying race dogs. I got offered my first broodbitch through John Tindall, we gave it a go and had some luck too," Wright stated.

John and Josh invested in buying Silent Boloney, training her to win 15 races from 50 starts and taking out a Vic Breeders Series Final at Geelong in Victoria with Graeme Jose, before eventually retiring her to the breeding barn.

Her first litter to three-time group 1 winning chaser Dyna Double One produced multiple race winner Silent Keiko.

Earlier this year Josh would move his team from Mole Creek into St. Leonards, setting up and sharing a property with partner Katie Grubb, daughter of trainer Robin Grubb, breeding and training under the Gold Nugget Syndicate.

"We've been lucky to have such a good young litter come along while we were setting things up here at St. Leonards. We sent Harden Up Johnny and Rojo Boloney out to Richard and Jillian Stamford at Westbury to be reared for us.

"There is no better thrill in breeding and breaking-in your own pups and I'm excited about this litter, it's a big team effort as I was racing in Hobart while Robin was at home whelping down a litter of pups from Peco Can.”

Harden Up Johnny will now line up in Launceston on Monday night, contesting a heat of the $18,624 Simons Carpet One Gold Collar over the 515-metre journey from box eight, going up against the likes of Fossil Bluff and Crikey Danger.