By JASON ADAMS
CORNELIUS Fudge made it yet another win at Sandown Park last Thursday night, defeating Dyna Tony in a time of 29.73. The fawn chaser was slow out of the boxes before weaving his way through the field, storming home to claim first prize in what was typical Cornelius Fudge style.
Trainer Lisa Cockerell was delighted with the win from her kennel star aka ‘Çashy’ (pronounced Sashy), although she did get slightly worried throughout the mid-part of the race.
“When he got checked down the back straight I thought the leaders may have got too far in front for him but he proved me wrong… I was really proud of him!” Cockerell said.
Cornelius Fudge was unlucky when finishing sixth in a heat of the Group 1 Australia Cup, but Group glory is something that may be on the horizon for Çashy, with the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg just under one month away.
“We will be taking him to Sydney for the Easter Egg, we would have to give him a trial around Wentworth Park before the heats as he has never raced outside of Victoria before.”
Cornelius Fudge’s win was not the only win for Cockerell last Thursday night, she also owned the winner of the tenth race, Lavender Brown, who ironically is trained by Cockerell’s mother, Marlene Dopper.
It was back in 2003 when Cockerell was working behind the bar at the Geelong greyhounds, where she met her husband Ian, who is now Lisa’s training partner.
It was only four years later that the training pair experienced their biggest thrill in greyhound racing, getting Finlandia into a Group 1 Sapphire Crown final.
“Her Sapphire Crown heat was only her fifth career start, and she won that in 29.66, on the old Sandown surface which was really impressive,” she said.
“It was one of the biggest thrills I’ve experienced in greyhound racing.”
Finlandia went on to compete in another Group 1 final and finished up with nearly $50,000 in prize money.
