Tyler Schiller, who has ridden three winners of the $2 million Kosciuszko, has embraced greyhound racing as an owner and cheered his outstanding youngster Zhang home in a heat of the Robert Smith Memorial at The Gardens last Saturday night.
Because of his riding commitments, Schiller could not get to The Gardens but organised a party with friends to watch the Zhang's all-the-way win from the famous Doncaster Hotel, just down the road from Randwick Racecourse.
"The races are on again at Randwick this Saturday but depending on what time the Robert Smith Memorial is on, I would love to get to The Gardens to watch the final,'' Schiller said.
"I named Zhang after the manager of the syndicate which part-owns the top class racehorse Private Harry.
"I bred this dog from a bitch I secured called Newhaven Nellie, who won four of her only 12 starts.
"She had a litter of 10 to Tommy Shelby, and six, including Zhang, broke in well.
"Two other jockeys, Dyl Gibbons and Zac Lloyd, share ownership of Zhang with me while Kurrinda Bloodstock, the owners of Private Harry, also has a share. (Gibbons and Lloyd are both Group One winners).
"Clinton Payne from Racenet advised me to get Andrew and Adam Crouch to train Zhang, while I also have a handy greyhound called Hooked On Honey with country trainer Ike McCorkindale.
"I went to school with Ike at Hennessy College in Young and he has done a good job with Hooked On Honey, who has had a win and six placings from a dozen races.''
Zhang had box one when he ran off and collided at the first turn before winning his Robert Smith Memorial heat in 29.71, while the fastest qualifier for Saturday's final, She's Alluring, recorded 29.31.
But Adam Crouch, who co-trains Zhang with his father Andrew, believes Zhang is capable of plenty of improvement.
Zhang
"When he contested his heat Zhang was only having the second 515m run in his career,'' Crouch said.
"A virus went through our kennel and set his preparation back so we weren't even considering nominating him until he went fast in a post-to-post slip at Gosford.
"That prompted us to give him a 515m trial at The Gardens and when he clocked 29.30 we rushed him into the heats.
"Zhang is potentially the best greyhound we have trained.''
That is some praise from team Crouch and Andrew and Adam trained the former outstanding dog Jamella Jet, who was runner-up to Mystic Riot in the 2018 Million Dollar Chase and to Good Odds Harada in the Bob Payne Sprint a year later.
