Above: Pearcedale’s Jason Thompson was hailed as the Trainer of the Year at the Australian Greyhound Racing Association awards night at Sandown Park on Friday night, before leading Whippy’s Image (pictured) to a win in The Temlee on Saturday night.By Paul Pickering
THE Australian greyhound racing fraternity descended on Springvale’s Sandown Park on Friday night to crown its brightest stars of 2007.
And while the night’s banner award – the Greyhound of the Year – went to Victorian stayer Flashing Floods, the most popular victory of the night went to Pearcedale trainer Jason Thompson.
Thompson’s status among the sport’s elite mentors was confirmed as he accepted the Australian Greyhound Racing Association’s Trainer of the Year award.
A self-proclaimed underdog, Thompson accepted AGRA’s top training gong with an endearing combination of disbelief and humility.
“To say that I’m shocked is an understatement,” Thompson announced to a roomful of his peers in the Henry Harrison Grandstand.
Reflecting on the title this week, Thompson said he was unsure how his credentials would stack up against his rivals, including Devon Meadows trainer Darren McDonald.
“I just went to have a good night and enjoy it,” he said.
“I certainly didn’t go there expecting to walk away with anything, but to pick up the award was a real honour.”
But Thompson’s stellar run through 2007 meant that few people – be they experts or punters – would begrudge him the title of Australia’s in-form trainer.
While his successes were too many to mention, Thompson’s fondest memories were of Group 1 triumphs to star bitch Miss Hot Gossip in the Laurels at Sandown Park in June and Run’s House in the Maturity Classic at The Meadows in May.
For Thompson, the progress of Run’s House has been a joy to behold.
The precocious speedster – which progressed to the final of the 2006 Melbourne Cup in just his eighth start – is the product of an Awesome Assassin-Amy’s Sonnet union orchestrated by Thompson and his partner Seona Hood.
So, having bred, reared and trained Run’s House at his Pearcedale property since he was a pup, Thompson says the win in the Maturity was worth much more than the $50,000 winner’s purse.
“That makes it pretty special,” he said.
“You can always receive other dogs from people, but usually they’ve done all the hard work.
“So when you rear them, breed them and do the whole lot, it’s definitely more satisfying.”
And while Thompson’s sentimental streak may seem like an anomaly in a ruthless sport, it is clear that greyhound racing was his passion long before it became his profession.
Thompson was introduced to the canine caper by a family friend as a teenager and soon adopted it as his hobby.
“I’ve had an involvement with racing since I was 14, so it’s good when your hobby is your job and you can make a living doing what you love,” he said.
As it happens, his workplace is the highly professional stud and training centre at his Pearcedale property, dubbed Awesome Lodge in tribute to the legendary sire that threw Run’s House in March 2005.
A stroll through Awesome Lodge reveals Thompson’s training philosophy of quality over quantity.
“I’ve never had a huge amount of dogs in work,” he said.
“Not to be cocky or anything, but I’d rather have an empty kennel than a kennel filled with slow dogs.”
At present, that kennel includes a host of prospective stars that will likely ensure that 2008 is no letdown for Thompson.
In fact, just 24 hours after claiming his Trainer of the Year award, Thompson watched one of his bright young things, Whippy’s Image, streak to victory in Group 2 The Temlee at The Meadows.
Sire of the Year award was shared by Token Prince and Brett Lee, Dam of the Year was Flood Fawn, Run of the Year went to Miss Grub and the iconic Black Top was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with 19th century trainer Sam Sladon.
