Can Dave Fahey secure his 12th NZ Cup training victory?
Peter Fenemor • November 13th, 2025 10:12 AM • 4 min read
This evening’s running of the $100,000 Springston Hotel New Zealand Cup has to be the most even and competitive looking fields assembled for decades.
Time wise, just two lengths covered the eight canine athletes racing in the Group 1 event over the four 525m heats held last week.
Since 2006 Dave and Jean Fahey have dominated the NZ Cup, mentoring 11 winners of New Zealand’s richest greyhound race.
Jean stepped aside from the hugely successful training partnership on 1 January with Dave Fahey now training with Katie Wyllie.
They have formed a lethal training combination as seen by their outstanding 0.5857 UDR strike rate figure for the current season.
Last week Fahey and Wyllie applied the finishing touches to three NZ Cup heat winners.
Opawa Hass led throughout for his 30.31 heat win. “Yes, he raced a lot better in his heat. He had been inconsistent before. He is capable of leading them out which he must do,” advised Fahey.
“That was a really good fresh up race by Original Warrior. We expect him to improve after that, and he can make his presence felt owing to that,” suggested Fahey about the 30.32 heat winner, who won last season’s Gr. 1 NZ St Leger at this venue.
Therapy Tex dictated the pace to his heat rivals when delivering his 30.34 heat win. “That was the first time he has jumped. He has no option but to do the same in the final,” explained Fahey.
When asked who he considers the kennels leading prospect is Fahey responded with, “Original Warrior who is a likely improver after his heat run.”
Leading the heat time honours was the potent Craig Roberts trained chaser Paw Bradley who clocked 30.28.
The Addington 29.50 525m track record holders’ biggest challenge is trying to avoid traffic issues when racing into the first turn after jumping from trap eight.
“It will all depend on the run that Brad gets into the first turn. If he can get there and around it without being checked, then yes, he’s a big winning chance as he’s the strongest dog in the field.
“I’ll love to see him getting a clean early run and get himself in striking distance going down the back straight. If that happens, he can look after it from there,” stated Roberts.
Roberts has a pretty handy backup contender with Paw Earnest as Roberts confirms. “That was a nice race by him in his heat. His draw is okay for him and if he gets out good and takes up a handy early position, then yes, he’s a decent chance.”
Roberts son Matt, who trains in partnership with Jack Johnson, also holds a strong hand in the potential race outcome with last year’s NZ Cup runner up Let Him Cook.
Drawing the one-trap has enhanced his claims of going one better in this edition.
“He gained confidence in his recent Invercargill races (457m) and that showed in his heat when he made up a lot of ground on the winner. We would like him to show more acceleration from the traps and hold up the rail.
“He bounced back from his heat pretty much straight away and physically he’s all ready to go,” commented Roberts.
It’s a massive evening of high-class chasing action with the 12-race card of premier racing kicking off at 5.09pm (Race 1).
(The betting for tonight's New Zealand Greyhound Cup at Addington is an open affair. CLICK HERE to see the TAB Market for the race)
