Samantha Leach began training greyhounds just last November but has already landed at Wentworth Park winner, a goal many trainers take decades to achieve.
Last Saturday night Leach's bitch Sadie McGraw led all the way to win a 520m fifth grade by four lengths in a handy 30.11, after winning over 516m at Dubbo in the best time of the night at her previous start.
Although Leach and her husband Michael operate a sheep, cattle and cropping farm, combining livestock production and crop cultivation at Woodstock, near Cowra, she was probably always going to become a hobby greyhound trainer.
"My nan and pop were battling greyhound trainers, and my father Ron McGuinness is a current trainer'' Leach said.
"I managed to buy Sadie McGraw from her owner Sandra Spratt for $7000 after the greyhound had a couple of races for Magpie Hector's trainer Jack Smith."
"I plan to have Sadie McGraw back in at Wentworth Park on Saturday."
Vale Eric Lansdowne
Eric Lansdowne, a leading trainer of the 60s, 70s and 80s, has died, aged 87.
After three decades as a successful trainer in NSW Lansdowne had left Australia in the early 1980s to help establish greyhound racing in Sweden.
His son Steve said "Dad's role was to show people there how to look after greyhounds."
"In recent years he has assisted with me running my egg supply business on the Gold Coast but has lately struggled with heart problems."
Among the greyhounds Eric Lansdowne trained were the top-class middle-distance bitch Fashion Express, Black Captain, Our Boy John, Kallerman, Crofton Light, Matunga and Steve Austin, who was beaten two lengths when runner-up to $2 favourite Alpha Brava in race record time in the 1975 group one Vic Peters Classic at Harold Park.
The staff of GRNSW and the many friends and greyhound racing colleagues of Eric Lansdowne would like to extend their condolences to his family.
