Greyhound Of The Year Finalists
17 March, 2016
Greyhound
Top trainer Paul Stuart could play a major hand when the 2015 Western Australian Greyhound of the Year is announced at a gala function at Cannington on Sunday.
Stuart has three of the four finalists, Astrophysic, Quartz Bale and Tureaud. Lexie Isaac completes the quartet with her charge, Fun Boss.
Astrophysic staked his claim with 28 wins and 7 placings from his 40 starts, netting $88,745 in stakes and a further $12,500 in Westchase bonuses.
He also cemented his reputation as Mandurah’s premier chaser over 405m, winning 24 races over the journey including a sequence of 10 straight races.
During 2015 Astrophysic qualified for 4 feature finals, taking out ‘The Shorts’ and placing in the Chase and the Group 2 All Stars Sprint.
Quartz Bale only raced for four months of the year, but still managed to have an impact with two wins and 3 placings from his 12 appearances at the race track.
Amassing $110, 735 in prizemoney, Quartz Bale placed in two Group 1 finals: the Perth Cup and the Australian Cup at The Meadows in Melbourne.
After racing on 17 occasions Tureaud collected 7 wins and 2 placings for a total of $82,160 in stake earnings.
He qualified for 4 feature finals and won the Group 2 All Stars, the state’s second biggest sprint and the Anniversary Cup.
Stuart has prepared three of the past WA Greyhound of the Year winners: Dyna Nalin (2013), Miata (2012) and Pedrosa (2010).
Fun Boss has made a rapid transition to the top echelon of greyhound racing after commencing the 2015 season as a maiden.
After taking out the Puppy Classic and Group 2 WA Derby he made a further 7 finals including a trip east for the Group 3 South Australian Derby.
Fun Boss raced 41 times for 18 wins and 14 placings, netting a total of $121,940 in stakes and a further $34,000 in Westchase bonuses.
Astrophysic, Fun Boss, Quartz Bale and Tureaud will look to add their name to an illustrious honour roll that commended in 1975 when Bright Idea was named inaugural champion.
Julio Santarelli