A chapter in the history of Australian greyhound racing closed on Monday morning with the death of Sydney trainrt Barry Lazzarini, aged 88.
Lazzarini, a qualified veterinary technician, lectured on the anatomy and physiology of dogs at Bankstown and Sydney Technical Colleges and also lectured on greyhound muscular injuries at James Cook University, Townsville.
But it was as a trainer he will be best remembered by his legion of friends in the greyhound industry, not surprising considering he trained his first winner, Lynevar, in 1947 when he was just 15.
When I interviewed Barry for GRNSW's The Chaser magazine in March, 2006, he said: "I put my age up to get a trainer's licence as did a lot of kids back then.''
Barry is survived by his wife Barbara and son Scott and a year after their marriage he presented his wife with a diamond ring as an anniversary present.
When Barbara inquired as to what he would like as a gift Barry asked her to buy him a greyhound puppy.
Barbara did exactly that and bought a bitch which raced as Bunny Two, and what a gift she turned out to be.
Bunny Two won 36 races, broke track records at Wollongong, Newcastle, Dapto, Bathurst (twice) and at Wentworth Park, where she won 13 top grade sprints in the early 1960s.
In January, 1962, a three way interstate challenge was held at Wollongong featuring Bunny Two, the Victorian champion Tamaroo and NSW's top dog Rocket Mac, but Lazzarini's bitch prevailed.
"First prizemoney was 1000 pounds ($2000) and you could buy a block of land for that in those days,'' Lazzarini once recalled.
Twice winner of the Sydney trainers' premiership, Lazzarini's other top notchers included Bulli track record holder Frontage, Mandingo Chief, who won his first eight races in succession and Hiasol, which he obtained from legendary trainer Stan Cleverley before going on to break the WYONG track record.
Later Barry trained Richmond straight track record holder Linen D'Or for GBOTA chairman, the late Bill Baker, along with Sister Anthony, a CESSNOCK record holder and the luckless Red Consulate.
In the early 1990s Red Consulate beat the champion of the day, Warren's Flyer, to win a heat of the Vic Peters Classic (which are being held again on Saturday night at WP) at Harold Park.
Tragically after the race, another dog's muzzle became caught in Red Consulate's eye causing Lazzarini's greyhound to lose his sight, yet, after recovering and racing with just one eye, Red Consulate won another 20 races and finished third in a Tweed Heads Galaxy at Border Park.
Barry Lazzarini was a contemporary and friend of the late, great Charlie "Chicka" Morris, the Newcastle trainer who prepared over 6000 winners.
Like Chicka, Barry Lazzarini was a punter, once pointing out: "In the 50s and early 60s times were tough and when I became a professional trainer, one had to bet to make a living.
"Because your livelihood was at stake, it was no good crying about unlucky seconds or anything like that, and when you put your cash on, you couldn't afford to be wrong too often.''
There might never be another quite like Barry Lazzarini, who truly was an icon of the sport, and our condolences go to his widow Barbara and son Scott.
