Inductee 2012: Mister Toewyte

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Hall of Fame

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HALL OF FAME

The Runt Becomes Champion

Greyhound racing was still in its infancy in Western Australia when Vince Davey bought a locally bred pup, the last in the litter by sire Real Blast from Benny’s Delight. When Vince took the pup home in July 1975 his wife Margo didn’t want it and started a selling campaign in which Vince tried some 20 prospective buyers but could not make a sale of the little Mister Toewyte.

Finally, the Daveys decided to keep ‘Toey’ as he was affectionately called. Three years later they collected a cheque for $20,000 when Mister Toewyte won the 1978 National Sprint Championship in Adelaide. He became Western Australia’s first ever National Champion.

The road to the championship was a rocky one. In the previous year he had won the 1977 NSW Young Star Classic in race record time, followed by 11 consecutive race wins on his home track at Cannington. Then one morning owner-trainer Margo was giving Toey (by then her favourite) his morning walk when he was attacked by a Labrador. Savagely gashed, surgery was required and it was feared the black sprinter may never race again.

In his comeback starts Mister Toewyte failed dismally. However blood tests led to the diagnosis of an infection, and a dose of antibiotics, along with a spell, saw Toey return to his old self. The rest is history.

History

1977 WA Derby (race record)
1977 Young Star Classic (Wentworth Park, NSW – race record)
1977 Summer Gift
1978 WA Sprint Championship
1978 National Sprint Championship (Angle Park, SA)

19 wins, 10 seconds from only 42 starts
1977 WA Greyhound of the Year
$8,114 (WA) and $29,000 approx (interstate) in stakemoney

Another Injury

After returning from the National Sprint Championship, Mister Toewyte won a heat of the Spring Gift but sustained yet another injury in the catching pen. Although he returned to racing a month later his injuries took their toll and Toey was retired in September 1979.