Second Avenue's Stunning Return

GARY and Sonia Greene were beaming with pride after their comeback galloper Second Avenue made a winning return to racing at Ladbrokes Gardens on Saturday night.

Off the scene since August last year, Second Avenue, a stylishly bred son of Premier Fantasy and Gilgamesh, returned from 294 days on the sidelines to record a powerhouse 22.99 victory over the 400m at the weekend, extending his record to five wins and four placings from just the nine career starts.

"We couldn't be any prouder of him, very rewarding," beamed Gary Greene on Monday.

"It's been a very long process but this dog has a real special place with myself and Sonia, he's a beautifully natured dog with a great temperament."

Suffering injury when still remarkably finishing third at Ladbrokes Gardens last August, Greene told the Recorder he was always confident his exciting chaser would return to the track, but was mindful not to put a timeline on his recovery.

"I'm not sure how many people would have had the patience and perseverance but deep down I was always confident he'd get back to the track," added Greene.

"At his last start he screwed his front right leg and twisted it quite badly, it caused issues with the ulna and radius right up into the elbow – it was never really career threatening, it was just going to need a lot of time and a lot of patience."

For owner, Scott Connelly, Second Avenue's smashing return continues his successful first foray into greyhound ownership, the October 2016 whelp gifted to him by brother-in-law Kevin Gordon.

"Yes, Scott was very pleased and thankful for how he's come back," added Greene.

"For a while there it was one step forward and two steps back with him. Initially the advice was it was his wrist causing the issues but it wasn't until I did some of my own work that I realised it was coming from his elbow so we got to working on that."

With a few stop and start missions along the journey, Greene said it was a recent slip at Ladbrokes Gardens that told him the talented chaser was ready for a racetrack return.

"I slipped him from where a lot of the trainers slip at The Gardens near the front of the catching pen and he ran home in 11.24 which is exceptional," added Greene.

"After that the stewards gave me the option of trialling him over the 272m and he broke the track record running 15.53 – his run home outstanding.

“I'll give him this week off as it's been a bit of a load on him and he's a dog that gives 110% every time he goes around.

"It was a slow process but a very rewarding one so the last thing I want to do now is push him along too quickly. He'll just ease back into things – as I said he's very special to myself and Sonia, we love having him here at home."