Compiling a 50% winning strike rate is a remarkable achievement for any greyhound, but Rose Sannette has easily surpassed that benchmark and took her tally to 24 wins in 45 races when she stormed home to take out last Thursday’s Australia Day Cup final at Maitland.
Trained at tiny WherroI Flat, near Wingham, on a 120 hectare cattle farm by hobby trainer and breeder Kevin Johnson, Rose Sannette gave the brilliant front-runner Set And Match a big start early to take the lead on the home bend for a runaway win.
There is no doubt Rose Sannette could be a top grade star at Wentworth Park but Kevin does not like driving to Sydney.
"My eyes are not what they used to be so I avoid the long trip to Sydney," he told me recently.
Rose Sannette did win at Wentworth Park in May but that was in a Maitland to Wenty final.
And while Kevin Johnson is renowned for always being prepared to sell his greyhounds, Rose Sannette has never been for sale.
"“We’ve had dozens of offers for her but Rose Sannette is owned by my wife Yvonne and she would never part with her no matter what, she just loves this bitch," he said.
Yvonne and Kevin Johnson are true animal lovers and several of their 20 greyhounds are "retirees".
"We never put down any of our dogs, irrespective of how they go on the race track.
"But I’ve got no time for the anti-greyhound lobby because let’s not forget our dogs race because they love to run, unlike thoroughbreds which do so because someone is belting the daylights out of them."
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One trainer who has been "quiet"’ lately is John Miles, who returned to the winner’s circle at Gosford last Tuesday night with Chasing De Moola.
John, who won the 2012 Tweed Heads Galaxy with Chasing Glory, believes Chasing De Moola will eventually be better suited over longer than the 400m of his Gosford win.
"I always like to win a few 400m races before I step them up in distance and I’m certain Chasing De Moola will run a strong 520m," John said.
"Chasing Glory has been out of action with a bowed tendon and he is probably finished as a racing proposition."
John’s greyhounds were again a force in the 2013 Tweed Heads Galaxy series with his dogs Chasing De Cash and All Tommie winning both consolation finals.
Chasing De Cash has won 21 of 77 starts while All Tommie’s record is 58 starts for 22 wins.
"All Tommie is now racing out in the bush for my daughter Noelene Walsh, who trains in the far west," John said.
