Federal Morgan was the winner of the 2020/21 GRNZ Greyhound of the Year.
By Peter Fenemor
The greyhound code's ultimate accolade will be awarded during Saturday's annual GRNZ Greyhound of the Year Awards evening at the Christchurch Town Hall.
There are numerous awards to be announced during the evening, with a number of them being closely contested – both greyhound and human.
In addition to the regular awards, two GRNZ Special Recognition Awards will also be made on the night, while a new inductee into the NZ Hall of Fame can be expected to be announced.
Here's a brief summary on the credentials (additional performance details will be revealed during the evening) for those award contenders in the various racing categories that was recently judged by the GRNZ appointed panel.
GRNZ Sprinter Greyhound of the Year
This was a hotly contested section, with five finalists being named. All five of the straight-out short-course speed merchants that have been declared deserve their place in the final line-up.
Leading conditioner Lisa Cole is represented by three contenders. Bigtime Cooper was the emphatic winner of the Group 1 Galaxy Sprint. He slipped through his 295m dash in 17.05, after his swift 16.99 semi-final win.
Big Time Prada was an ultra-consistent sprinter throughout the season, winning 19 of her 44 races. She was the first New Zealand-bred sprinter home when finishing second in the Group 1 318m Railway Sprint and the Group 2 375m Angus Wright Memorial.
Typhoon Tim was responsible for numerous power-packed sprints, which was reflected by his season best Cambridge 20.71 375m and Manawatu 21.12 375m wins. Contributing to the $81,323 in stakes, was his Group 2 375m Angus Wright Memorial victory. He completed the term winning 19 of his 38 sprints.
Homebush Sirius won the most races during the season, with John McInerney preparing him for his 27 wins. He fronted up at Addington to record five-sub 17 second 295m wins, while he also featured regularly over the Ascot Park 390m dash, including posting the equal season best 22.22 time. He was recently named as the Canterbury Sprinter of the Year.
Master Porthos was a versatile chaser throughout the season for his trainer Tony Hart. He was awarded the judge's call in 12 of the 18 sprints he contested. He was the quickest greyhound sighted over the Manukau 318m sprint during the season when he won his Group 1 Railway heat in a slippery 18.08.
GRNZ Middle Distance Greyhound of the Year
The three finalists listed in this section were responsible for eight Group race victories which illustrates the quality of greyhounds that were sighted in middle distance events throughout the season.
Tony Hart prepared Charlotte Lu to win the Group 1 520m New Zealand Oaks, along with the Group 2 457m Far South Challenge and also the Group 2 457m Lois Henley Memorial. In total, she won nine races within this category, winding up with $72,212 in stake earnings. She delivered the quickest 25.69 Ascot Park 457m time.
Opawa Superstar embarked on his career at the start of the season, when winning his 520m debut outing at Addington. He completed his season winning the Group 2 457m Colin Keen Memorial on Ascot Park. In between, his conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey presented him for another 21 wins.
Included in those victories were the 520m NZ Breeders Stakes and the 527m Auckland Cup, both at Group 1 level. Those wins, along with Group 1 minor placings saw this aptly named greyhound securing a tidy $172,227 in stake earnings. He also annexed the feature Manawatu Cup, recording the Manawatu season best 25.36 457m time. His Addington triumphs added up to Opawa Superstar being named as the Canterbury Middle Distance of the Year winner.
Talbingo Bale was simply electric over the Addington 520m trip, as seen by his outstanding 12 sub-30 second 520m times, with his quickest being a 29.65 gallop. His trainer Craig Roberts mentored him to win two Group 1 finals – the 527m Waterloo Cup and the 520m South Island Champs.
His slick 29.88 Manukau 527m time was the fastest time ever recorded by a male greyhound at Auckland headquarters. His 18 wins from his 28 races contributed to the $96,215 in stakes he won during the season.
GRNZ Stayer Greyhound of the Year
This category is game, set and match for the phenomenal stayer Know Keeper, such was his complete and utter domination of his staying rivals. The recently crowned Canterbury Stayer of the Year was presented for 21 staying races during the season, winning 19 of those races, which included an unprecedented 18 successive race winning streak.
His mentor Garry Cleeve applied the finishing touches to his charge to win five Group race titles – amazingly on five different tracks. At Group 1 level, he strongly prevailed in the 779m Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar.
Group 2 races fell to Know Keeper in the 720m Nancy Cobain, 732m Galway Cup, 732m Kingston Cup and the 747m Teressa McDonald Cup. Those black-type victories assisted him to win $149,437 in staying races alone.
GRNZ NZ Bred Greyhound of the Year
The breeding influence by the NZ Hall of Fame member Ray Adcock is strongly evident in the bloodlines of Charlotte Lu, the daughter of Fabregas and Tee Time. She was the stylish winner of the New Zealand Oaks, which provided her trainer Tony Hart with the Blue Ribbon Restricted Age double within a month after Diego Jem prevailed in the New Zealand Derby. Both greyhounds granddam is Mini's Fantasy, who was imported by Adcock.
Charlotte Lu was a speedy girl, who also won the 457m Far South Challenge and the 457m Lois Henley Memorial, with both races being at Group 2 level. .
Know Keeper raced on 35 occasions throughout the season, winning 25 of them (five minors). His outstanding season ended with the homebred son of Know Class and Know Jinx being the nation's highest stake earning greyhound, with his impressive $185,825, boosted by five Group race victories. He also secured the Manawatu 660m (37.34) and 720m (40.93) track records, while he also equalled the Addington 645m (37.57) best time.
Aside from his 19 staying victories, Know Keeper also won the GRNZ NZ Nationals Sprint Final (520m) at Addington, qualifying him to represent New Zealand at the Australian National Sprint final in Sydney, however Covid-19 restrictions saw the event being cancelled.
It was a stellar season that trainers Dave and Jean Fahey guided their kennel star Opawa Superstar through. It concluded with the son of Fernando Bale and Opawa Tab being successful in 23 of his 35 raceday assignments, accumulating $172,227 in stake earnings.
It was his Group race performances where Opawa Superstar shone, winning the 520m NZ Breeders Stakes and the 527m Auckland Cup at Group 1 level, while he also had three minor Group 1 placings. The Group 2 Colin Keen Memorial trophy also went his way.
Dam
It was a strong field of NZ-based dams that was been narrowed down to four contenders. Included is Know Jinx, the dam of Know Keeper, along with Opawa Superstar's dam, Opawa Tab.
The leading 2020/21 dam Kissing Gwyneth is also a contender for this edition, with Big Time Prada headlining the numerous progeny who represented her. Tee Time has quickly made her mark within this section, with Charlotte Lu and Victoria Lu leading the way for her.
Sires
As usual, just the NZ-based sires are eligible for this award. The leading NZ sire by race wins (129) and stakes ($424,653) won was Dream Collector, with Monty Mad Hammer being his leading runner by wins (9). Know Class sired the freakish stayer Know Keeper who won 25 of the 45 race winners he sired ($286,375).
Eminent Reality enjoyed his most successful season, siring the winners of 89 races ($229,458). Razor Rufus and Helsinki showed the way for him via their nine race wins each. The progeny of Thrilling Boris combined to win 115 races ($302,718) for their dad, with Thrilling Freddy being his leading contributor with his 16 race wins.
Other Awards
Once again, the potent Palmerston North based Lisa Cole kennels produced the most races winners, concluding the season with 693 race winners, while amassing $2,168,887 in stakes in again winning the NZ Trainers Premiership.
It was a photo-finish for the NZ Trainer's Strike-Rate title, with Foxton conditioner Samantha Phillips snatching a narrow win, with her tidy UDR 0.4689 points.
GRNZ Youth Award
There is no question that the inaugural GRNZ Youth award has turned into the most closely contested award for the evening. Six under-30 year old industry participants received $500 each after being nominated for and named as the monthly winners (from February to July).
On Saturday evening, one of those monthly winners will be announced as the recipient of GRNZ $5,000 grant. Those six-outstanding contenders (in monthly order) are:
February – Madison Hamilton. March – Ella Cole. April – Riley Evans. May – Corey Steele. June – Rhian Farrell. July – Samantha Phillips.
Shaun Fannin co-trains Jesko with his wife Hazel and rode him to victory.