NOTHING could have been more fitting than Vintage Tiger winning at Saturday's final Wentworth Park meeting as his trainer Craig Chappelow is a fourth-generation greyhound trainer whose roots go back to the 1930s, when the iconic Glebe track was opened.
In the early 1930s Craig's great grandfather Dave Chappelow built and managed one of Australia's first trial tracks at Mascot, alongside Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport.
Primitive by today's standards, Dave Chappelow's trial track was surrounded by Chinese market gardens with partitions fashioned from chicken wire separating each of the eight starting boxes.
Dave's son Arthur, Craig's grandfather, took over the track in 1936 while becoming a leading trainer, winning 60 races at Wentworth and Harold Parks with the champion bitch Merle Drew.
Merle Drew was so good she had to be handicapped, and in one memorable race over 480 yards (439m) she was forced to give the front-markers an incredible 38 yards (34.7m) start, yet still finished second, beaten only by a length.
With a pedigree like that Craig Chappelow was always going to become a trainer, just like his father Ken Chappelow, who was a detective attached to the NSW Licensing Squad.
Ken Chappelow trained Fearless Flight, a remarkably versatile top grader who won over each of the sprint and long distances at both Sydney tracks, Wentworth and Harold Park.
It wasn't surprising then that in his Sylvania High School yearbook the inscription alongside Craig Chappelow's goal in life was "to be Sydney's leading greyhound trainer.”
IT's RARE for an unraced maiden to be sent out as a $9 chance before winning by five lengths and clocking a flying 29.64 at Wentworth Park.
But Red Rock Blitz not only achieved this in Thursday's third heat of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Maiden but he carved out blistering opening sections of 5.34 and 13.55 in the process.
Trainer Courtney Power, from Weston, near Cessnock, said: "The price might have been big because Red Rock Blitz had not trialed over 520m and had only had a hand-slip at Wenty.”
"He has always been very quick early, but I must admit his overall time surprised me considering he was having his first 520m there.”
"I train him for Bec and Aaron Baker from Dubbo, and he is already the best greyhound I have trained since starting out 10 years ago.”
"My previous Wentworth Park winner was probably Bolt Like Elkie in March, 2023.”
KIWI Evoca finished third, just over a length from the winner Fearless Bandit in Friday night's fifth semi-final of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase, but the Victorian's performance was remarkable considering his less-than-ideal preparation leading up to the race.
Kayla-Jane Coleman brought the dog, trainer by Korie Lee Heinrich, At Anakie, to Wentworth Park on behalf of owner Tom Dailly.
She explained: "Kiwi Evoca was second reserve, so you don't expect to secure a run in an Million Dollar Chase semi from that position.”
"But Kiwi Evoca did when Tracey Taro and first reserve Tennessee Kade were scratched.”
"Tom Dailly phoned me at 10am Friday and told me he was attempting to get Kiwi Evoca onto a flight to Sydney.”
"He asked me if I could go to the airport to pick up the dog if he was successful and then bring him to Wentworth Park.”
"Later he called to say Kiwi Evoca would be coming by plane, so I drove from The Oaks and got him from the airport at 2pm, just over seven hours before his Million Dollar Chase semi-final.”
"I took Kiwi Evoca home, gave him a drink of water and looked after him before heading off back to Wentworth Park in time for kenneling.”
