News & Media

21 March 2009 Slick win for WESTCHA$E

When the Max and Pam Julien-owned MISS SLICK passed the post first in the Group 1 SKY Channel Perth Cup last Saturday night not only did she become the highest stakes earner in WA greyhound racing history, but she collected the biggest breeder’s bonus cheque ever as well. Her win earned connections a first ever $25,000 Group 1 Final WESTCHA$E Bonus for her success at the elite level against the best greyhounds that could be assembled at Cannington for the Group 1 series.

The victory took MISS SLICK’s WESTCHA$E Bonus tally to a whopping $86,500; more than double the next best earner KALDEN FURY who collected $40,100 for her connections during a brilliant career which saw her gather more than $200,000 in stakes. MISS SLICK had previously become the first WA bred greyhound to collect a Group 2 WESTCHA$E Bonus, and she did it twice for good measure in the Britton’s WA Oaks and later in the Schweppes All Stars Sprint last year.

Chasing WA had a chat to owner and trainer Max Julien about his and his wife Pam’s career as greyhound breeders.

“Our philosophy has always been to try to breed the best. We’ve used the best bitches and always gone to the best sire possible and we’ve realised our dream of breeding, owning and training a Perth Cup winner,” Julien said.

“We’ve always preferred to breed rather than buy. There is still risk involved but often less than buying proven greyhounds from interstate. I can’t remember off-hand but we’ve probably bred more than 20 litters since I became involved with greyhounds.

“MISS SLICK is out of LITTLE LAMPLIGHT and not many realise it but BRITMARC who is the dam of the last WA bred Perth Cup winner NIFTI FIRE in 2000 is a half-sister to the dam of LITTLE LAMPLIGHT. That is a story in itself.

“We are well set up here at home as we can whelp the litters, rear the pups, break them in and pre-train them all on our property which is a big advantage over some others in the industry.”

When asked of what the future holds Julien replied, “we have a litter of TAHITIAN DANCER pups on the ground at the moment. They are only very young but look great. After that we could be looking at breeding with MISS SLICK after her retirement. LITTLE LAMPLIGHT is interstate at the moment to be served by BIT CHILI, but we’ve had so much bad luck with her from a breeding perspective. She has missed three times and the MISS SLICK litter is still the only one we have from her.”

When asked his thoughts on WESTCHA$E Julien replied, “It is a fantastic scheme and is rewarding those who put in the effort, breed good stock and win the good races. It was our goal to breed a Perth Cup winner and it should be the goal of anyone who is involved in the breeding caper.”

MISS SLICK – (BOMBASTIC SHIRAZ x LITTLE LAMPLIGHT) – January 2006

61 starts for 25 wins, 21 seconds, 2 thirds, 13 unplaced

$354,220 in stakes (all in WA) and $86,500 in WESTCHA$E bonuses

Details correct as of 21 March 2009