"MIRACLE" Malcolm Johnston, the famous jockey who is a part-owner of Friday night's Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase winner Magical Ang, described her trainer Peter Lagogiane as "the Chris Waller of greyhound racing" after his bitch's shock win.
Johnston rode 39 group one winners including 16 in one season but has always been a greyhound racing "tragic.”
"I own a small piece of Magical Ang thanks to the principal owner George Kairouz, who has been a close friend for over 30 years” Johnston said.
"The late great rugby league player Terry Hill bred Magical Ang and he was a great mate of George's and that's how he came to get her.
"Unfortunately, George was unable to get to Wenty on Friday night but the bloke pours so much of himself into greyhound racing it was wonderful for Magical Ang to give him his biggest win.”
"Peter Lagogiane has now won the Million Dollar Chase three times so he has to be greyhound racing's equivalent of trainer Chris Waller with thoroughbreds.”
"Magical Ang has always had good early speed but when the boxes open, she goes left so she had an awful draw in box six.”
"And going into Friday's race her best Wentworth Park time in 21 starts was only 29.59.”
"But under Peter's training she was at her best when it really mattered and was able to produce her personal best figures of 29.46 in the biggest race of her career.”
Lagogiane won the inaugural 2018 Million Dollar Chase with $5.50 chance Mystic Riot and two years later succeeded again when Handsome Prince, like Magical Ang an outsider at $21, won the big race.
Before Friday night's win, Lagogiane admitted he was not confident about success with Magical Ang but pointed out that he had not really been expecting Mystic Riot or Handsome Prince to win either.
On Friday night Pound Keeping, one of trainer Minnie Finn's record four finalists, began brilliantly from box three but Magical Ang came out just as quickly and headed off her rival going into the first turn.
Magical Ang was in command from that point and the $34 chance won comfortably from Pound Keeping, the $3.30 second favourite, with Fearless Bandit, a $19 chance and son of 2022 Million Dollar Chase winner She's A Pearl, in third place.
Jungle Johnny, the $2.80 favourite in box five, was never a chance after appearing to stumble soon after the start and then being hampered while trying to get around Hey Arnold (box two) on the first bend.
Jungle Johnny's trainer Mark Gatt secured a $15,000 consolation when his dog Recommission took out Friday night's Million Dollar Chase Maiden Final in 29.69.
Jack Smith, trainer of former champion stayer Palawa King, who earned $1.1 million, took out Friday night's Sydney Cup final in race record time with Magpie Hector.
Magpie Hector had shown improved box manners to win his heat in 41.47 and again jumped reasonably well on Friday, coming from third early to win by six lengths in 41.28, well inside the race record of 41.37 set by Without A Trace in 2025.
Mepunga Reward, the odds-on favourite, gave Victorian trainer Jeff Britton a second successive Masters Meteor victory when he flashed down the outside to edge out tearaway leader Speedy Pie in 29.75.
And while Jorja-Louise Howard, Magical Ang's handler was in tears of joy after the Million Dollar Chase final, her mother Natina Howard had been in the spotlight earlier in the meeting when her dog Hello Peck led throughout to win the Young Star final in 29.23.
