SPOTLIGHT ON OUR OWNERS   –   Number 2  

GARY MAUNDERS

My first experience of greyhound racing was when i was in my teens and used to go to Wimbledon to watch my uncle Brian Maunders dogs race! He had a real good dog, among others, called Ratchy who was trained by Paddy McEvoy at Hersham. He was a top class Open hurdler and won the Christmas Hurdle at Wimbledon.

My first involvement as an owner came in 1974 when i was playing Sunday league football for the local Working Mens Club in Shepperton. Most of us enjoyed a bet and a group of us decided we would save up and buy a greyhound. One of the players worked for the BBC at Shepherds Bush and in conversation with a visitor to the studios the subject of greyhound racing came up. By chance this visitor was an owner of greyhounds trained by John Honeysett. To cut a long story short we was introduced to Honeysett and we purchased a young dog named PENDENE JIM who was racing at Crayford. We would cram into two cars and watch him run every time! After a couple of months and without a win the journey was getting us down and we switched him to Slough trainer Paddy Pierce. At Slough “Jims” career took off and although he was no world beater he won us 14 races and trophies!

Through the 80’s and 90’s i tried my luck in several Racehorse syndicates. Flori Wonder,  Double Option and Jay Dee Jay were trained by Jeff Davies and all won races! The latter Jay Dee Jay actually won at Cheltenham but alas not at the festival meeting. She was also 3rd in a hurdle race at Ascot! I tried my luck in a couple of horse’s with Clive Cox and Formidable Will and Fairfield Lodge were also successful on the racecourse.

In 2004 i purchased a young pup from Ireland and in partnership with my cousin Dave Maunders we placed him with Norah McEllistrim. Although he was very well bred BLACK JOHNS BOY (September 2003 son of Sonic Flight out of the dam Moanrue Slippy) was a little short of ability and the kennel did well to win 7 races with him! He turned his head in his 61st race and was shown the red card! But he didn’t fancy a new career over hurdles mainly because he was not fast enough!

After ‘Johnboy’ was retired we asked Norah to find us another dog and she gave us some great advice! “Don’t put all your money into one dog. Buy into a syndicate and spread the cost. That way you will always have something racing and it won’t cost you a fortune!”.

In 2006 Norah introduced me to Henry and Lyne Rogers who had just bred a litter of pups out of their bitch Spotted Rose by Honcho Classic. You wouldn’t meet nicer people and i jumped at the chance to have a share in the ‘Rosie Syndicate’. The three bitches all won in A1 grade at Wimbledon and their brother made it up to and won in A3 grade. PRETTY ROSE won 20 races,  ROSIE HONCHO won 18 races,  LYLA ROSE won 16 races and HARRY HURRY UP won 15 races in five brilliant years before they all retired in 2011.

The fun and success of the ‘Rosie Syndicate’ with a low cost involvement encouraged me to start some syndicates in the kennel. Thrilled to have finally owned top graders in 2008 i asked Brian Harrison if he could find me a greyhound that could be top grade at Wimbledon and may be good enough for Open class! After a few months he phoned to say he had found two from Barney Mooney in Ireland! A brother and sister! Unable to make a choice it was then i teamed up with Dave Staddon and Alan & Sue Hicks and we syndicated the pair! The ‘bitch’ was COOLAVANNY HONEY, a 2007 daughter of Top Honcho out of the dam Coolavanny Town, who went on to win six races from eighteen runs at Wimbledon before she was disqualified for deliberate interference. She completed her clearing trials and continued her career in Open races. She could not get her head in front at Open level but was 2nd on eight occasions. The ‘dog’ was RALLY TOWN – The rest is history!

RALLY TOWN  –   July 2007 son of Top Honcho out of the dam Coolavanny Town. I was lucky enough to co-own this amazing greyhound and enjoyed a fantastic run of success! Trained by Norah, who couldn’t believe the time of his first trial at Wimbledon, thinking the racing office had made a mistake! But it was no mistake – he had flown! Rally affectionately known as ‘Ally‘ was graded onto the Wimbledon card in A2 and he was soon competing at top level. He won 21 A1 races at Wimbledon throughout his career. Ally was a crowd favourite with the Wimbledon regulars! He broke the track record, clocking 28.66 on the 23rd April 2010, shortly after they had switched the track round. The same year Ally won a Ladbrokes Irish Derby Trial Stakes at Wimbledon clocking 28.70 but declined the automatic entry. In 2009 he was voted Wimbledon Greyhound of the Year! He competed in the Derby but the 2nd Round was the furthest he made. Rally Town won 7  Open races, 4 at Sittingbourne, 2 at Wimbledon and one at Oxford. He also won an Inter-Track heat for Wimbledon at Romford! Ally had a career total of 152 Races of which he won 33. He was 2nd on 34 occasions and filled 3rd spot 29 times. That’s an incredible 96 first three places! He was retired in February 2013 and still resides at the kennels.

In 2009 Dave Staddon, Alan & Sue Hicks and myself syndicated MWEBE HILDA an August 2008 son of Ace Hi Rumble out of the dam Hi Dash. Yes! ‘Hilda’ was a boy and a stayer. He won at A2 level around Wimbledon and won seven staying races and reached the Semi-Final of the St Leger in 2011. He won 18 races in his career and was retired last year and re-homed just after Christmas!

The same year (2009) i was offered a share in COOLAVANNY ROCK a May 2007 son of Hallucinate out of the dam Mercury Queen. ‘Rocky‘ won the Doug Tyler Summer Cup at Romford on only his second run for us! Sadly he had a crashing fall at Sheffield in a Heat of the Steel City Cup which affected his confidence for the rest of his career. Despite that he won the Coral on TV Stayers Final at Romford in 2010 and won at Wimbledon in front of the Sky TV camera’s at odds of 20/1. He always competed at the highest level and won 25 races from 105 runs. ‘Rocky’ retired in February 2013.

In 2011 i helped to form the Norah Mac Racing Club with Ross Banner and Norah. The Club is going well and has enjoyed 86 winners to date! We have members from all parts of the UK and overseas including Bermuda, Belgium and Spain!

During 2011 and 2012 i was involved in numerous syndicates with the likes of the sisters  COOLAVANNY KAYLA and COOLAVANNY KEIRA  May 2010 daughters of Premier Fantasy out of the dam Coolavanny Town. Kayla won 19 races before retiring this year and Keira (still racing) has won 15 races to date. GLENVALE PADDY (14 wins),  GLENVALE ROSIE (7 wins),  COOLSCART HAWK (6 wins),  DRUIDS ABOUTTIME (3 wins , retired), COUTURE (8 wins, retired) and DROOPYS BRODY a Jan2011 son of Ace Hi Rumble out of the dam Droopys Gucci who has won 9 races to date including a Bags Track Championship win at Swindon!

In 2012 i joined the Norahmacnificent Eight syndicate taking a share in KIZI an  April 2011 son of Big Daddy Cool out of the dam Airport Boss. He has developed into a top class sprinter and is the winner of ten races. He was in great form last year winning Opens at Belle Vue, Sittingbourne and Hove, with the highlight of his year at Sittingbourne  when winning the Silver Salver Final. He has had a break and will be back to compete in the top sprints this year!

I had to take a share in GLENVALE STEVIE in 2013 as soon as i saw his breeding! The Nov 11 son of Paddy’s Flame is out of the dam Coolavanny Town  –  the mum of Rally Town!  ‘Stevie’ has good early pace but stays on really well and looks to have a future. He was withdrawn from the Semi-Final of the Romford Puppy Cup through injury and has been rested since but is now being prepared for a tilt at the Derby. He has three career wins to his name!

Like all owners there have been ups and there’s been downs but through all the years Norah and the kennel staff have been brilliant and its been a lot of fun. God willing all the dogs stay safe and keep sound and the kennel has a great year!