Carol & Wayne Morris major players down the straight
Mark Rosanowski • November 5th, 2024 6:08 PM
Greyhound trainer Carol Morris had a fear of dogs when she was first introduced to greyhounds in the late 1990s after her husband Wayne had struck up a friendship with Tom & Jill McGillivray.
“I was attacked by an Alsatian as a child so I was a bit nervous when I first met Tom and Jill and saw their greyhounds with muzzles on,” she explained when asked about her first introduction to the sport.
More than a quarter of a century later she is right at home in Pahiatua with the team of beautiful greyhounds that has quickly collected 21 wins this season with a majority coming down the straight grass track inside the Wanganui thoroughbred racecourse.
The McGillivrays had great success with stayers at the time of that introduction winning the coveted Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar in 1997 with Gotta Cruise who finished second a year later behind another McGillivray charge Bet On Bessie.
Despite training a two-time Hurdler of the Year, Aranui Flash (19 wins in 37 jumping starts), early in the millennium, it was a recent Silver Collar that provided the Morris team with their biggest thrill when Mr Farenheit, a dog they bred, reared and trained, finished third in a wonderful edition of the race in 2022 behind the outstanding stayers Know Keeper and Thrilling Rogue.
Mr Farenheit’s career was extended by the establishment of the straight track although Carol has confirmed that his fifth of five last month was his final race.
The Morris kennel has eleven runners at the Wednesday meeting of the Wanganui GRC on the straight.
“I think Run Away Blue (race 9) is possibly the best winning chance on a day when we’ve got lots of place chances,” Morris surmised. “She’s loving the track. She can be a bit tardy but she’s got a strong finish. She is up in grade into a good field though.”
Of the others Morris opts for the tiny Sister Shadow in race 6 as another leading contender. “I was really impressed with her last time, her first start in c2,” she said. “She really dug in to hold third after she was headed by that other dog (#3 Rock It Rapper). She’s a good beginner & she loves the inside.”
One of the Van Morris Syndicate that races the 23 kilogram chaser is the Morris’ daughter Pip who has become a prominent Trackside presenter and commentator in recent years.
Another from the same litter, Swift Shadow, is a winning hope in race 3. Two kilos heavier than her little sister, Swift has paid a dividend in seven of her nine starts on the straight.
“She’ll do the same as she always does, ping out & try to hang on, “ Morris advised. “She’s really adapted to the grass track, she just needs a bit bigger lead.”
The team has three form runners in the last race which is the deepest field of the day.
“We gave them all a run separately the other day and Torque In Torque went first and ran really well. She’s absolutely loving the track but she’s up in grade and has got a middle draw this time. Then we sent Big Time Bang down and he went even better than Torque. Star Boy Express had a run after them and ran even better than the other pair. It’s a shame he hasn’t drawn one box wider as he loves box 7. They’re all very well,” she summarised.
Morris believes that the set-up the couple have at Pahiatua where they have been based for the last 16 years has led to their success on New Zealand’s only current straight greyhound track.
“Our dogs drag twice a week here at home on the grass and they love it so it’s not a lot different to raceday.”
For all that don’t dismiss their dogs at Hatrick Raceway or Manawatu. King Harvest advanced quickly through to c5 largely through his exploits on the roomy horseshoe track in Palmerston North while a promising young pup Simon Templar recently posted a maiden win on the Wanganui circle.
The Wanganui meeting starts early at 11:16am and the TAB rug bonus back promotion is operating across the ten race card.
Photograph at the top of the page: Run Away Blue winning at Whanganui Straight Track on October 22nd
Credit: Wanganui Greyhound Racing Club
