If you find yourself down at Wentworth Park on Saturday night for the running of the Ladbrokes Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal, keep an eye on the catching pen for the bloke with a bright pink lead rounding up Nangar Luna.
That’s Ken Ernst, father of Kat Ernst who co-trains the daughter of Barcia Bale with partner Jo Mcfadyen.
And the 68-year-old would love nothing more than to catch a Group 1 winner after becoming somewhat of a lucky charm for the kennel.
“Kat would often go to the races and need an extra hand so I offered to get my license and help out. The first four greyhounds I caught all won and they were all with this pink lead. I’ve used it ever since and the strike rate has been unbelievable, one in three I think,” Ken said.
Kat and Ken Ernst with Nangar Luna and the lucky pink lead
“I’m really proud of what Kat and Joe are achieving as trainers and I’m just doing what most fathers would do, trying to help them achieve success,” he added.
The lucky lead working its magic once again on Peter Mosman Opal heat night as Nangar Luna led all the way to qualify for the final in 30.07.
“I had to laugh on Saturday because a bloke near me looked at my pink lead and asked if I was catching number eight. I said, “no, this is just my lucky lead” and I told him Nangar Luna would win,” Ken said.
“Well, she bolted in and the bloke turned straight to me and yelled out “where do you get those bloody pink leads from?”,” he chuckled.
The legend of the lead going back a couple of years now when one of Ken’s favourites, Zulu Warlord, was racing for the kennel.
“I love that old dog and I used to get such a buzz watching him come up the Richmond Straight. He was a bit special to me and he was the very first dog I caught using the pink lead. And because old Zulu [Warlord] was such a lovely, coloured dog with white and brindle patches, he really stood out when he had that lead on,”” Ken said fondly.
Daughter Kat thrilled to have her old man, and his pink lead, by her side for every step of the journey.
“I just thought he’d look like a bit of princess walking around the track with a pink lead around his neck but Dad is the biggest teddy bear in the world and I think it looks amazing,” Kat said.
“But if I don’t take that lead everywhere we go now he rouses on me and is very superstitious about it now. If I forget it, he says the dogs won’t go any good today,” she laughed.
Kat Ernst plants a kiss on her Ladbrokes Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal finalist, Nangar Luna
Their bond now stronger than ever, and coming not long after illness almost cost Ken his life.
“A few years ago Dad got sick and nearly died. He had a perforated bowel and was in hospital for months, we were called a few times to come and say our goodbyes because the doctors weren’t sure he would make it through the surgeries,” Kat said.
“I remember going in and showing him replays of the dogs and I really think he got better so he could come back and do this, the dogs are his whole life now,” she added.
The second chance at life not lost on the elder Ernst either, with Ken lapping up every moment with the ‘apple of his eye’.
“I love spending time with my daughter and doing something together. If I didn’t have an interest in greyhounds, I wouldn’t be able to spend much time with my her or Joe because of the hectic lifestyle trainers have now,” Ken said.
“And they don’t stay little girls for long. You blink and they’re 18 and off doing their own thing so it’s just a blessing to be part of her life and it’s all thanks to the dogs,” he added.
As for Nangar Luna’s chances in the big race, Kat is hopeful more than confident her old man will be catching the winner.
“It’s going to be pretty tough from Box 8. I think she’s going to be more of a middle-distance racer and I’m not sure she has the brilliant pace to go with Group 1 dogs early,” she said.
“I’m trying to stay positive, but she’ll need a lot of luck. I think Jack Smith’s two were brilliant in the heats. I know they have a massive opinion of Miss McGraw and she’s putting it all together at the right time.”
“The dog in Box 1 [Bella Una] should get a dream run too but stranger things have happened in greyhound racing. We didn’t think Belmont Bullet would ever win a semi-final of the [Golden Easter] Egg so fingers crossed Luna can run a big race.”
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