Tekki Jim Caps Off Unlikely Return In Style

It was a stunning return to racing by former Victorian greyhound Tekki Jim when he stylishly won his first New Zealand assignment at Manawatu Raceway Tuesday.

Back in January, Tekki Jim convincingly won his Cranbourne 520m debut maiden in 30.32, however it turned pear-shaped from there, suffering serious injuries entering the catching pen following such a dominant victory.

Those injuries included lacerations to his skull and a hind leg.

Tekki Jim just didn't want to be a race dog at his return to racing, understandably suffering from a complete lack of confidence.

Tekki Jim's final Victorian start (box five)

The remedy for Melbourne owner Vaughan Clark was very simple – send the son of Fernando Bale and Tekki Minx across the Tasman to ‘Mr. Fix It', Foxton based trainers Gary and Sandra Fredrickson.

You see, the Fredrickson's have a knack of restoring greyhounds from potential retirement to winning greyhounds, especially with chasers owned by Clark, who is a former NZ TAB bookmaker.

Careful nurturing by the Fredrickson's saw Tekki Jim presented mid-August for his re-qualifying trial over 305m at Hatrick, returning a handy 17.79s.

Move onto Tuesday and his much-anticipated New Zealand debut saw Tekki Jim make a moderate start from trap-seven.

He balanced up, punched forward and dueled with another recent Aussie imported chaser Zipping Russell.

Seizing a rails passage on the big, sweeping bend, Tekki Jim extended stylishly to record 26.31s for the 457m, holding a 2 ½ length margin over the Angela Turnwald prepared Zipping Russell.

Mission accomplished!

"When Vaughan offered us Tekki Jim, I didn't hesitate, saying to him yes send him over as preparing greyhounds who had issues is becoming somewhat of a forte for us," advised Gary. 

‘We have a policy of wiping the whiteboard clean, reprogram them while getting their confidence back. 

"We were really happy where Tekki Jim was at (confidence) going into Tuesday and we got the due reward. He hadn't trialled over 457m, therefore that was a great result.

"We may nominate him for a 520m at Hatrick next Wednesday." 

The ‘Mr. Fix It' term fits perfectly for the Fredricksons.

As we have previously reported, they nursed Pic A Pascal back from ‘deaths door' to make a winning return.

Then there's Gazza's Girl which stormed home for third in Tekki Jim's Tuesday win, also for Clark. She was lining up for her 101st race in a career that was firmly put back on track through Fredrickson's mentoring skills. 

"She is as sound as a brick these days – it was a huge career win for us to get Gazza's Girl over 100 race starts. I was ecstatic when we got Pick A Pascal back racing. Results like we are getting with greyhounds like these three is very satisfying training for us.

"The kennel is rolling on really nicely now," he stated.

Pawnote: The form from the August 12 Hatrick 305m re-qualifying trial that Tekki Jim led home was flanked during Tuesday's Manawatu meeting with the first victory in New Zealand by Murmur (Barcia Bale – Blame The Fame).

He delivered the meet best 457m clock when returning 26.24s after running second to Tekki Jim in the trial. He is prepared in the powerful Lisa Cole kennels for George Farrugia.