Tassie's Newest Hall Of Fame Members Revealed

THREE well known greyhounds, each representing a remarkable era of racing, along with one trainer, were honoured as the latest inductions into the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame at a dinner event in conjunction with the Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand box draw on Saturday night.

The trainers' category welcomes Michael Stringer as its newest member, recognising his 50 years in the sport and his role in training numerous high-profile chasers throughout his illustrious career.

Michael Brian Stringer, a Hobart native through and through, has risen to become one of Tasmania's most respected trainers.

With a collar and lead in hand, he boasts an impressive strike rate that has earned him considerable acclaim, placing him among the ranks of high-profile trainers like Bob Brown, Ted Medhurst, Reg Ivory, and Richard Stamford.

Michael has trained an extensive list of exceptional chasers throughout his career. Some of his most notable ones include Painted Hilux, Topline Doovee, Little Spaniard, Yappin' Jack, New Recruit, Kyra Shiraz, Scrub O'Malley, Hemsworth, Rybenbrook, and Bergermeister, among others.

He has achieved the summit of Tasmanian racing, having trained the winner of the Group 1 Hobart Thousand in 2008 with Little Spaniard, which led a kennel quinella with Topline Doovee. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the success of four other Hobart Thousand winners: Prankster, Above All, Hooked On Scotch, and Aussie Secret.

Tugrah Beaver, the champion sprinter of the late seventies and winner of 52 races from 114 starts, was inducted into the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame. Throughout his racing career, he was owned and trained by Reg Ivory, another Hall of Fame inductee from 2007.

The red brindle son of Sally's Jim and Harmony Rose triumphed in numerous feature races, including the Division 3 Opal Stakes Final at White City, the Hounds Trophy at TCA, the A.B. Moore Classic at TCA, the Christmas Stakes at TCA, the Easter Cup at White City, and the Arnott Spillers at Devonport.

Tugrah Beaver's racing accolades include being named the 1978/79 Devonport Greyhound of the Year and the 1979 Tasmanian Greyhound of the Year.

Lygon Leader was a standout during the eighties, was the second of three greyhounds inducted to the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame, marking a golden era in racing for Hall of Fame inductees, brothers Gary and Greg Fahey. The light brindle dog started his career as a sprinter and achieved even greater success as a stayer, becoming a dominant force both locally and on the mainland.

In a turn of events that seemed stranger than fiction, the son of Darville's Flyer was purchased by Greg, who had witnessed the broodbitch Lygon Girl race at Wentworth Park in New South Wales during his honeymoon in June 1979. He later spotted an advertisement for the sale of pups from this mating.

Lygon Leader had an incredible career with over 70 starts and 35 race victories. Initially described as a sprinter whose slow starts made competition difficult against a multitude of strong sprinters, Gary Fahey realized that Lygon Leader's talents were better suited as a stayer. The results surpassed expectations.

His sprinting accolades include victories in the Coca-Cola Juvenile Final at the Hobart Showgrounds, the Gold Collar, the Red Book Autos Classic, and the Launceston Cup Consolation at White City.

He also reached the finals of two of our most prestigious races, the 1983 Launceston Cup and the 1983 Hobart Thousand to which he ran a narrow second to the Victorian sprinter Stony Point.

Lygon Leader set a track record for the 725 metres at the Hobart Showgrounds, won the 1983 National Distance State Final, and then finished a commendable second to the Victorian stayer Ten Guitars in the 1983 National Distance Grand Final.

While on the mainland, he secured three victories at the renowned Harold Park circuit in New South Wales and also reached the final of the era's richest staying race, the Fury Ford Cup, which was contested over 732 metres.

Wynburn Sheean, a dominant sprinter of the modern era, became the third and final inductee into the greyhound category, boasting over 23 wins from 34 starts, including group race victories in the 2020 Group 3 Ladbrokes Devonport Chase and the 2021 Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup, under the guidance of Ben and Tom Englund.