Peter Fenemor: Reviewing last week's Whanganui action
Peter Fenemor • April 1st, 2025 10:19 AM • 4 min read
Popular ‘grassroots’ Straight Track victory
Friday’s inaugural running of the $20,000 Betcha Straight Up Dash was a triumph for greyhound ‘grassroots’ participants.
27 year-old Jamie Pruden secured his biggest career training success when his charge Loveable Rogue powerfully won the 313m sprint for his owner and breeder Mike Schneider.
Loveable Rogue has turned the straight track into his own personal ‘playground’, having now annexed eight wins and seven minor placings from his 15 races up the straight.
“He jumped a lot better than he did in his heat and once he got handy to them, I was confident he would win the race.
“I was very excited, and emotion hit me when I realized Loveable Rogue won – I started shaking. It’s the biggest race I have won. Everyone was so good afterwards, congratulating me,” an elated Pruden said about his two-length winner who record 17 seconds flat for his win.
Schneider successfully raced Loveable Rogue’s dam Sassy Lil Lassy, attaining open class status. Upon her retirement he took on the advice of northern breeding expert Dave Bryn and mated her with the Victorian sire Benali.
He successfully reared the resultant litter of nine pups at his Ellerslie property before dispersing the pups to various trainers.
Three members of the litter qualified for the Betcha Straight Up Dash, with Wayne Morris training Star Boy Express to finish fourth, plus also Run Away Blue for her fifth placing.
Schneider made the trip from Auckland to watch his pups contest the race. “Mike put his hand up to catch and appropriately it was Loveable Rogue who he caught.
“Mike deserves all the success he gets after having done all the hard work rearing the litter,” added Pruden..
Lisa Cole mentored the minor place-getters with Mario Wave finishing second 2.25 lengths in front of Need A Favour.
Johnny demolishes Hatrick Classic field
It was an emphatic thumping that the strong chaser Johnny Football handed his rivals in the $30,000 Hatrick Classic last Friday.
The Lisa Cole prepared Johnny Football was standing up the pacemakers around eight lengths when the Group 1 field was streaming down the back straight.
It was like he turned on his turbo-chargers, when after securing a rails passage, he railed underneath the pace-setters when rounding the final turn, then cleared out for his effortless 4.75 length win, clocking a smart 29.65 for his 520m gallop.
It was a Cole trained clean sweep with Fear To Tread holding second 3.5 lengths in front of her gallant pace-making kennelmate Big Time Brave, who in turn held a half-length margin over More Magic.
“Yes, Johnny Football made up a massive amount of ground after being interfered with early. He has been knocking on the door for a decent win.
“His lack of early speed lets him down, however he is very strong which is why we race him so often over the 650m and 660m distances,” advised Brendon Cole.
His daughter Ella boxed away Johnny Football into 520m traps during her last New Zealand meeting prior to flying to Melbourne on Sunday.
“I was so pleased for Ella, that she was able to handle a Group 1 winner during her last race meeting here – she even backed him,” added Dad.
Johnny Football is raced by Victorian greyhound media personality George Furriga, who was out of phone reception in country Victoria when the race was won. He explains how he found out the result.
“I found out Johnny Football had won the race when I got a congratulations text message from Liz Whelan. Once I got reception I was able to watch the race replay.
“I can’t thank Brendon and Lisa enough for what they have done with Johnny Football. They have done an amazing job in turning him into a ‘real’ chaser.
“He showed a lot of promised when he raced over here, winning early on over 525m at The Meadows, however he turned his head and copped a ticket.
“I was devastated when that happened and I didn’t hesitate to send him to New Zealand after having previous success with other dogs I’ve sent to the Cole’s.”.
He will be strongly favoured to add to the $119,363 in stake earnings he has won, the result of 25 wins and nine minor places he has secured from his 44 races.
Picture at the Top of the Page: Friday’s Betcha Straight Up Dash winner Loveable Rogue seen here after an earlier Wanganui straight track 313m win. Credit: Wanganui GRC
