A winner of more than $420,000 in prizemoney, the Joe Scerri-trained staying star finishes her career with 20 wins and 22 placings across 61 race starts, with the highlight no doubt her win in the 2023 Topgun Stayers at The Meadows.
The daughter of Ritza Lenny x Ritza Vonnie saluting at big odds to claim the $75,000 feature, giving Scerri one of his greatest ever moments on the racetrack.
“She took me to places I never thought I would go,” an emotional Scerri said after the announcement.
“The Group 1 was obviously a highlight, but I also remember her first win like it was yesterday. It was her first 700 and she won by 25 lengths at Wentworth Park and that’s when I thought “we might have something good here”.”
“She’s been incredible her whole career. I need to thank the Gatt family who own the dog for giving me a chance with her, and all the track staff we’ve visited for looking after us. She’s raced in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia and everyone we visited was super accommodating and took care of us, win or lose.”
“And I need to thank ‘Piper’ herself. She’s such a happy, chirpy and well natured dog. She’s so full of life and one of the best greyhounds I’ve ever come across.”
‘Piper’ was a mainstay of the staying caper for more than two years after bursting on the scene with back-to-back Wentworth Park victories in September, 2022.
Her aforementioned debut win over the 720m coming in 41.89, highlighting her enormous potential for connections ahead of a 2023 to remember.
She claimed a breakthrough feature race win in the Group 2 Summer Distance Plate, before running third in the Group 1 Association Cup three months later.
In October, she ran second to Zipping Vanessa in the Group 2 Sydney Cup, before claiming the Topgun in November.
She backed that effort up with a runner-up finish to Palawa King in the Group 1 Bold Trease final, before coming back to NSW and claiming the 2023 Newcastle Cup by almost six lengths.
Ritza Piper’s 2024 season was bit more subdued, but she still managed to run second to Valpolicella in ‘The 715’ at The Gardens, was the runner-up in the National Distance Championship, and contested a further four Group finals including the Christmas Cheer at Wentworth Park in December which would be her final outing.
A career of excellence echoed by her owner, Frank Gatt.
“My boys [Mark and Daniel] knew she could run early on and they said, “let’s give Joe [Scerri] a go with her because he’s been so good to us” and he did a tremendous job,” Gatt said.
“She’s run well in a lot of group races against the best dogs in Australia and has won a few of them as well. When she started doing well, I think Joe was a bit nervous because he wanted her to reach her potential, but one thing about our family…we don’t take dogs back once we give them away, so Joe held onto her and they were fantastic together.”
Joe Scerri (kneeling) with Ritza Piper
“She could sprint as well, which a lot of people don’t know. I remember one day she went 29.59 in a trial at Wentworth Park and the trial after, Postman Pat went 29.60 for Jason Thompson.”
Gatt eager to breed with Ritza Piper as soon as she comes on season.
“She’s got really good blood lines and I’m already looking around at who we can go to,” he said.
“Ritza Vonnie’s third litter (Piper was from the first litter) is by Feral Franky and I love the look of them as staying prospects so I might go back to Feral Franky with Ritza Piper as I’d almost be sure she’ll throw a few stayers.”
“I could go to Bernardo but I’m not sure how long he’s going for. I like Fernando Bale but ‘Piper’ is only a small bitch so I’m not sure how big the pups would be. There’s a bunch of good sires around though so it’s a good problem to have.”
