Peter Fenemor: Sublime New Zealand bred chasing action
Peter Fenemor • February 24th, 2025 11:34 AM
Two classy fields of New Zealand bred greyhounds provided exciting racing when they contested two Group One 525m races at the Addington Raceway last Thursday evening.
It was a classy field of male greyhounds that was paraded to the 525m traps for the $30,000 2025 Active Electrical NZ St Leger.
Making an explosive start from the seven-trap was the Dave Fahey and Katie Wyllie prepared Original Warrior. His rivals never got close to him as the son of Mepunga Blazer and Rock On Annie cruised to his effortless four-length victory, recording a quick 29.84.
Local trainer Malcolm Grant produced Diamond Felon to cut back the Lisa Cole trained Boom Dynamite out of second by a half-length margin.
“Yes, I was a little bit surprised on how quickly Original Warrior began. It was his second phase acceleration that helped him to get clear. From there I was hoping he would hold on. Yes, he won it fair and square,” confirmed a proud Wyllie.
The win was also a proud moment for Original Warrior’s owing The Southern Boys syndicate with a number of them travelling up from Invercargill to watch and then to celebrate their pride and joy’s victory.
“I was absolutely thrilled for the owners, especially as it was the first Group race win that most of them have experienced,” explained Wyllie.
Our Erin powers to NZ Breeders Stakes win
A strong chase throughout was the key element for the win that Our Erin secured in the female only $30,000 2025 Springston Hotel NZ Breeders Stakes.
Our Erin, who is trained in Te Awamutu by 29 year-old Corey Steele, overcame some early jostling before positioning herself in clear racing room entering the back straight.
Steele provides his thoughts on how the race unfolded from there. “Our Erin got into clear racing air she really started going through her gears going down the back.
“It was a bloody good feeling when Our Erin won. I was elated, then it turned to emotion when I thought about my grandfather Don (Steele) who passed away last October.”
Our Erin cut back the Lisa Cole pace-making Big Time Favour during the run home, stylishly extending to provide Steele with his first Group One training success by 2.25 lengths, recording 30.17.
Big Time Favour held second, while rocketing home late to finish three-quarters of a length behind for her third placing was Opawa Stacey for young northern conditioner Sam Lozell.
Our Erin is a daughter from the July 2022 whelping of the litter by Aussie Infrared out of Opawa Hilary who was bred and is raced by Opawa Racing.
And for Steele, who previously worked at the Robin Wales operated Opawa Racing training base in Sefton, to train Our Erin to victory in a Group 1 race for them is very special as he explains.
“Robin and his late mates Graham Campbell and Ron Todd were fantastic to me when I was living down there. All my other Group race finalists have been Opawa dogs, so for me to train my first Group 1 winner with an Opawa greyhound is very gratifying.”
The NZ Breeders Stakes field was also noticeable by the numerous young trainers who lined up runners in the Group One final.
That factor prompted Steele to say, “It was very exciting that the NZ Breeders Stakes had so many young trainers qualifying finalists. We have grown up together and we’re now all racing against each other. That’s marvelous and is so very special.”
Age shall not wary them
It was the veteran combination of Grande Vue Ace and her owner/trainer Bob Pringle who stylishly prevailed in the feature $10,000 Sockburn Cup for the Kiwi bred stayers over the 732m journey.
Grande Vue Ace used the experience that she had gained from her previous 102 races to telling effect.
With a lap of the track to run while racing in the midfield she switched out around another runner, then when entering the back straight she cut back down to the rail.
She set off after the pace-making Beautiful Baloo, ruthlessly cutting her back when swinging in for the run home, then extending to win her 21st race by a comfortable 3.75 length margin.
The Gary Cleeve trained Tess is a stayer with a bright future over the longer distances and she finish solidly to secure second, while Goldstar Ginny rattled home late for her third placing for Riley Evans.
“On Thursday Grande Vue Ace looked a million dollars and she felt like that bouncing around on the lead.
“She had a decent draw for a change and she received clean early air. I was standing behind the traps when I saw her rail into second going down the back straight and I couldn’t help myself, letting out a ‘go little girl go’ roar.
“It is a huge thrill to train and race GVA, because when she’s on, she’s really on,” enthused the 76 year-old Pringle about the daughter of Dyna Dave and Replica Casino, who he also bred and reared and who has now banked $181,559 in stake earnings for him.
Picture at the Top of the Page: The NZ St Leger winner Original Warrior with members of his owning The Southern Boys syndicate, along with co-trainer Katie Wyllie. Credit: Dave Robbie
