Charlie Riccio has a good philosophy when it comes to buying greyhounds. If they are good, then they are cheap.
“I’ll tell you something, I’ve been in the game long enough, and if you pay $100,000 for a dog and it’s good, then it’s cheap,” Charlie said. “If you pay $1 for a dog and it’s no good, then its dear.”
Drawing a line through that, Charlie’s bitch Gone By Noon was cheap. He paid $3,000 for her at the Richmond Riches Auction back in 2018. She has already won five of her 10 starts and been placed in another four and won just over $9,000. That could be inflated on Friday however.
Gone By Noon is a heat winner and one of the favourites for the $40,000 to the winner Richmond Riches final.
In her heat in driving rain, Gone By Noon showed great tenacity to run down the leader Sceptre on the line in 31.00s.
“Yeah I was over the moon with the run,” Charlie said. “I watched race five, the race before her’s, and a bloke said to me geez it’s a beautiful balmy night. I went inside after the race and heard rain on the roof and it was rain like I’ve never seen before.
“I thought that’s all I need. She cut her foot after her Wentworth Park win (her previous start on July 27) and it took a while to get it right, but all I could get into her was putting her up the Appin straight on the previous Tuesday.
“She went well, 15.80s, but that’s the only run she had and when I saw her down the back getting into second, I was cheering thinking at least she’ll get into the final, but I was really happy the way she got to the line.
“I’m just coming back from the vet now and she’s as good as gold, we’re in there to race.”
The Richmond Riches has been won by some handy dogs in its short history, notably stud dogs Mister Twister, Thirty Talks and Feral Franky.
“I’ve supported Richmond Auction since it started,” Charlie said. “I’ve bought from four from them, and one year I put some pups in.
“I got Combustion from the Auction and he won at Wentworth Park, and I bought Caishen and he’s won over $100,000 and won feature races, and I also bought another one from the Gold Muzzle Auction and I’ve got an opinion of her too.”
The Peter Lagogiane-trained Sanctify was dazzling in his heat win, clocking best of the night figures of 30.68s. The dog was having his first run for the kennel having been transferred from the Victorian yard of Anthony Azzopardi. The dog is owned by Sonia Davis, wife of long-time greyhound identity Peter Davis.
“Here’s a fun fact … Peter and I have known each other for 50 years,” Charlie said. “We’re both from the Shire. He went to De La Salle Carringbah and I went to Carringbah High.”
Sanctify has drawn box six alongside Gone By Noon in the five, with the other two heat winners, You Know Why and Candy Carrera also alongside each other in two and three respectively.
