While they host one of Greyhound Racing NSW’s ‘Big Four’ each year, the traditional features, those honouring locals who have contributed to the club, are always a strong focus of the Dubbo Greyhound Club.
Dubbo stages the Ladbrokes Country Classic in March each year, but their feature events named after locals who were key in laying foundations and in the club’s growth, are not only significant to the club itself, but also craved by local participants.
While the lure of the large prizemoney on offer for races such as the Country Classic and the Brother Fox is enticing, local participants know the honour and significance of winning one of the club’s other features such as the Bill and Peg Miller Memorial, the Lesley Ann Leonard and Les Leonard Memorials, and the Bryan Maxwell Memorial which will be run this Saturday night.
“These are all the ones all the locals really want to win,” said Dubbo president Shayne Stiff said.
“We are lucky we have races like the Country Classic and the Brother Fox, which has been huge for this club and its continued growth, but these races are special to the locals and they want to win these races more than anything. It really means something to the locals because we knew these people we are honouring, and that’s the case with the Bryan Maxwell this weekend.
“Bryan passed away in 2018. Not only was he a club stalwart, but he was much more than just that. Apart from being a gun shearer in the district, his work alongside people like Molly Graham and Les Dawson was instrumental in the club being formed back in 1971.
“I’ll be honest, Bryan - who was president here from 2003 to 2009 - set a great footprint for the club and it wouldn’t be where it is today without him.
“He made it a family club and got the community involved. He laid a platform. He was always big on trying to get us to weekend racing, especially Saturday night.
“We are a country club and rural community and we only had Non-TAB racing, but we have just continued to grow. I’m sure Bryan would be so proud of where we are at and where we intend on going to, and I hope we have a big crowd on Saturday night coming along to honour Bryan.”
Two heats of the Bryan Maxwell Memorial were held last Saturday with Charmaine Roberts dominating, winning heat one with Ben Keeping in 29.39s, then winning the second heat with Sooty Keeping, literally a tick slower in 29.40s.
Roberts will also have Candice Keeping in the $10,000 final, while Forbes’ trainer Jack Smith has Flash Boom Bang and Talk About Class, Graham Pickering qualified Fancy Mal and Swift Bree, and Dennis Barnes will be represented by Nangar Gypsy.
