Industry celebrates top dogs

By Brad Kingsbury
THE Australian Greyhound Racing Association (AGRA) held its first Greyhound of the Year function at The Meadows on Friday night with the evening highlighted by the announcement of six awards, including the Greyhound and Trainer of the Year.
Other awards presented at the gala evening included Sire and Dam of the Year, Run of the Year and the induction of past star Temlee into the Hall of Fame.
Victorian sprint dynamo Betty’s Angel won the Greyhound the Year award from fellow Victorians Superman and Jaimandy Coops.
Among the tiny bitch’s wins was the 2006 Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Sandown, and Betty’s Angel boasts a record of 12 wins and two placings from 17 starts during 2006, with prize money of $250,050.
Owner Dianne Bartolo and her husband and the dog’s trainer Paul bred the chaser and accepted the award.
“It has been such a fantastic year and Betty’s Angel was brilliant for us,” Paul Bartolo said.
“She is a great little chaser and only 26 kilos, but she gives her all.
“Jaimandy Coops and Superman are both great dogs and I’m just so proud to win this award.”
There were no surprises with the announcement of Brett Lee as Sire of the Year, while Dam of the Year was Queensland-owned bitch Sheza Swifty.
Among 12 Run of the Month finalists for the Run of the Year was Porarocca for its record 2006 Cranbourne Cup victory.
Run of the Year went to Elektra for her outstanding last-to-first performance in the Sale Cup while the 2006 Trainer of the Year was Darren Murray from Napoleons.
The 2007 AGRA National Championships were also officially launched at the function.
The championships will be held in Melbourne for the first time since 2001, with this year’s event coinciding with the World Greyhound Racing Federation’s biennial conference.
Delegates from 22 countries will meet to discuss issues including animal welfare, integrity, information exchange and research.
The two finals will carry $72,000 prize money each.
Sandown will host the National Sprint Championship final on Thursday, 30 August, and the National Distance Championship final will be run at The Meadows on Saturday, 1 September.