With Ron Hawkswell

The BGC National Sprint and Distance Championship series highlighted greyhound racing during August and early September.

Promoters were blessed when the boom Queensland sprinter Elite State scraped through to win his state final, this greyhound having been the talking point for several months after owner Jim Osborn refused an offer of $1 million for him.

With Elite State through it was up to the Victorian Arvo's Junior to continue his great run of success at Sandown and win the state final, thus securing a place in the grand final of the distance championship.

Things went exactly as planned and the two "big guns" were off to the City of Churches to represent their particular states.

This is for greyhounds that raced prior to the AGRA Group and Listed Race concept in 1991.

Bold Trease's greatest achievement was winning four consecutive Sandown Cups (1986 -1989), a feat I believe we will never see again.

Trainer and part owner Norm McCullagh reminisced over his great champion, recalling that he had reared him from three months of age.

Destined to go around one of the shortest priced favourites in the history of the race, Arvo's Junior did not have all go to plan, the alarm bells starting to ring a week or so before when he was detected with a neck injury.

Trainer George Arvanitis blamed track staff at Sandown, saying that his greyhound had been mishandled when pulling up in the catching pen after the Victorian state final.

Whatever the cause, Arvo's Junior had to be treated with antibiotics and of course medication had to cease in the days leading up to the event as greyhounds must be presented drug free for racing.

It was evident by the Tuesday prior to the final that Arvo's would take his place in the race, and that he did - starting at evens and racing handy to the lead. Hitting the front midrace, he held off all challengers to score - giving Victoria the last four titles – the others being Osti's Joker (2000), Tip Top Tears (2001) and Boomeroo (2002).

The lead up to the finals could be best described as a super production by the South Australian Greyhound Racing Association. The scene for the traditional dinner dance on the eve of the national titles was the Adelaide Hilton and the event management at this prestigious venue were right in tune with what was happening in greyhound racing in their state during the week.

The bar, normally known as "Charlie's Bar" was renamed the "Hare and Hounds Bar" for the week and mannequins, sporting the rug colours 1 - 8, were on parade in the main foyer.

In addition to a fine night of entertainment, there were two inclusions into the Australian Greyhound Racing Association Hall Of Fame - the Victorians Brett Lee and Bold Trease.

Brett Lee, a winner of over $400,000 in prize money, met the best, not only beating them but giving them a towelling – running times previously unheard of.

His major wins included the Adelaide Cup, the Maturity Classic, the Australian Cup, the Golden Easter Egg and the Warrnambool Classic.

Bold Trease, affectionately known and the "Warrnambool Warrior," was announced as an honorary inductee into the Hall Of Fame.

Maureen Bryant, wife of the late and famous Ned Bryant, bred Bold Trease. Norm said that he has been trying ever since to get one as good as him, but he hasn't come close - and he doubts that he will ever see a stayer of the same quality.

"He four Sandown Cups," said McCullagh, "and people forget that he broke his hock twice."

Thursday night was when all the action happened on the track, Angle Park the venue for the two big finals this year.

There had been a lot of hype in the months leading up to the series - mostly due to the big offer for Elite State whose strongest opposition was expected to come from Victorian Hall's Northern who had scored in track record time (29.80) at The Meadows.

Elite State won the start and was across and in front early whereas Hall's Northern, from the awkward draw of five, was caught in traffic and checked out the back.

It was plain sailing for Elite State, and the dog that a million dollars couldn't buy won the Group One Classic by 5 lengths - clocking 29.33, the best of the night and giving Queensland their sixth national title.

Elite State, who is raced by Queensland business magnate Jim Osborn and trained by Reg Kay, will more than likely tackle the Paws Of Thunder in NSW before heading south for the big races - the Melbourne Cup, the Top Gun and the Shootout in November.

In the stayers department Arvo's Junior was sent out a raging hot favourite for the distance championship grand final – having won 11 races on the trot over the distance at Sandown, including his heat and the state final of this race.

With the curtain falling on another year of National Championships I think all would agree that the two best greyhounds won their respective finals.

Well done to Greyhound Racing South Australia and Chairman Mr. Robert Kennedy - they can hold their heads high. It was a thoroughly entertaining and professional show they turned on for the locals and their visitors who came from as far away as New Zealand.

THE SPRING
Springtime is a fantastic time for the thoroughbreds and it is also a very busy and rich time for greyhound racing.

Sandown will see the running of the $50,000 winner take all Shootout and the Schweppes Melbourne Cup which for the second year will see a winner's purse of $140,000.

The Shootout is limited to a field of four, connections asked to pay a $5,000 entry fee with the chance of netting the big return.

The Melbourne Cup preludes, races with excellent prize money, give greyhounds a chance to prequalify for a start in the final.

A greyhound does not necessarily have to win a prelude to be eligible for selection for a start in the heats of the Cup - and there are certain races along the way that exempt them from ballot for the heats.

Usually the club run eight heats with the eight winners making up the field for the final.

The Topgun is considered the Cox Plate of greyhound racing, the field hand picked by a panel of experts chosen from various fields and locations.

This year the Topgun, which carries a winner's purse of $100,000, will be run at The Meadows on Saturday December 6 under the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association banner.

Connections consider it an honour just to receive an invitation for this prestigious event which has really grown in stature since its inception some ten years ago.