CHARMER LODGE FEATURE NEWS - AUGUST 2005
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PORKY PUT TO TEST THIS WEEK
Courtesy GRAQ website - David Brasch - 29 August, 2005.
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IN-FORM Porky Royale steps up to 3rd-4th Grade this week at Albion Park in a 600m field certain to best a test for him.
But the John Corrigan-trained son of Royal Assassin-Porky’s Girl certainly has been in great form since he switched to 600m racing in recent weeks winning three of four starts.
That included a handy 35.55 win last Thursday night beating Eragon.
The dog is one of two Corrigan has in his kennel and he trains Porky Royale, the winner of 11 races from 43 starts, for Brendan, Mark and Willie Northfield.
“I’ve trained a few dogs in the past for the Northfields (Mitchell and Cheryl) and their boys race this dog between them,” said John.
The Northfields sometimes get overloaded with dogs and that was the situation when Mitchell approached Corrigan to train Porky Royale.
It was back in March and Porky Royale won first-up at the Gold Coast for his new kennel.
Corrigan knew he had something of a middle distance hopeful when he ran Porky Royale in a 600m race at Kempsey some months ago.
“He had not been on the track but he ran 37.96 which was just two-tenths off the track record,” he said.
The dog won a middle distance race during the Grafton carnival and then came to Albion Park for the three 600m wins.
“They haven’t been kind to him putting him in a 3rd-4th grade, but he’s been winning and you don’t get to those grades unless you are,” said Corrigan.
The trainer expects Porky royal will even get further with more racing.
Corrigan, from Grafton, has been training greyhounds for 47 years.
“I’m originally from Taree but I’ve moved around NSW a bit as manager of a retail store,” he said.
For the past 27 years he has lived in Grafton and he’s been retired for the past nine.
Porky Royale has drawn well in box two on Thursday night but comes up against a handy field of middle distance gallopers.
These include Heza Puzzle, Bay Cavalier etc.
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ANXIOUS WAIT FOR JEFF
Courtesy GRAQ website - David Brasch - 1 September, 2005.
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TRAINER Jeff Jones will burst out of bed first thing on Friday morning to check on Kilkivan Crow.
The dog limped off Albion Park on Thursday night after staging an outstanding performance to win a 520m 3rd-4th Grade in 30.40.
Kilkivan Crow (Royal Assassin-Crowea) ran down early leader Revelation to win by two and a half lengths with a half head to Nice Portrait rattling home to get third.
Jones reported Kilkivan Crow was badly checked at the start and again at the first turn.
“The checks probably cost him .2 in the race so it was a great effort for him to win in 30.40,” said Jones.
The concern for Jones is that his dog may not get to the boxes for next Tuesday night’s Lismore Cup heats.
“He was very proppy in the near side hind leg coming off the track,” said Jones.
“But what a good dog he is and what a great chaser after getting into that trouble and still winning while carrying an injury.”
Jones said he would have Kilkivan Crow checked out immediately Friday morning.
“He wasn’t putting a lot of weight on the leg coming off the track.”
Kilkivan Crow has won six races from 18 starts and was perfectly boxed in the rails.
“For some reason at Albion Park, and he doesn’t do it on any other track, he jumps to the right at Albion Park,” said Jones.
“That’s probably why he hurt himself.”
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Captain Odessa
Courtesy GRNSW Website - Jeff Collerson
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FOSTER real estate agent Terry Wales made a sound investment when he bought Captain Odessa as a pup.
The dog, by History Lesson from Odessa Lass, notched his fifth win in 11 starts and his second in two Wentworth Park outings on Saturday night.
After a dazzling all the way win at his WP debut on August 29, winning by 11 lengths in a slick 30.13sec, Captain Odessa put in a carbon copy performance on Saturday to score by nearly six lengths in a sizzling 30.03.
After the race trainer Sam Sultana explained: "Terry raced a dog called Mister Odessa, who was a full brother to Captain Odessa from a previous litter.
"Mister Odessa held the track record up the straight at Wyong for a long time but while he did win on the circle he was more of a straight track specialist.
"People like Terry deserve to get a good dog now and then because he has spent a fortune buying puppies over the years.
"I'm now tossing up whether to run Captain Odessa in Saturday's Bankstown City Cup heats at Potts Park.
"It's an ideal race for the dog and the track would suit his front running style.
"But I'm terrified of him breaking a toe on the grass.
"Our family trialled Lauretana there last week and she suffered that type of injury.
"I'm in two minds whether to risk Captain Odessa on the grass to keep him for the sand.
"Terry has left it up to me and I'll decide at the last minute when entries close Tuesday night.''
JEFF COLLERSON
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EMILY Frazer
Courtesy GRNSW Website 28/8/05
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 EMILY Frazer, about to turn 16, has quit a promising career as a representative soccer player to train greyhounds following Pearliscious' well deserved first city win at Wentworth Park on Saturday night. While Pearliscious (Royal Assassin x Shamrock Erin) races in the name of dad Tony, from Wallerawang, in western NSW, Emily is the "real'' trainer of the smart black bitch.
"She loves the dogs so much she has retired from soccer to concentrate on getting the best out of the greyhounds,'' Emily's proud father said at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
While Pearliscious had not won in town before Saturday, Tony Frazer pointed out that the greyhound had broken 31 seconds in three of her six Richmond 535m wins, so there is no doubting her talent.
"She is racing with more confidence at Wenty these days than she did in the past, so that's encouraging,'' Tony said after Saturday's win.
JEFF COLLERSON
Jeff Collerson -Sunday, 28 August 2005
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REFUSAL OF MAMMOTH OFFER VINDICATED
Jeff Collerson -Sunday, 14 August 2005
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 IT was probably just as well for Acceleration that he ran a personal best 30.25 in a tearaway win at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
 Because after the dog won at Richmond on July 29 in a blistering 30.64, WA owner Dennis Calleja made a huge offer for the son of Royal Assassin.
Visiting Sydney to seek out a potential Perth Cup candidate, Calleja offered a mind-boggling $40,000 for Acceleration after watching the dog score at the Londonderry circuit.
Surprisingly, owner-trainers Ray and Shayne Pooley refused the bid, and remained unmoved even when Calleja discussed increasing the amount by another $20,000.
At the time, Shayne's father Bernie, a former bookmaker, official, and present day owner, trainer and breeder, quipped: "I'd have given him the lead and collar as well for that sort of money.''
But Shayne and Ray have always known how fast Acceleration, injury-prone throughout his career, was, and decided to keep him at their Londonderry kennels.
On Saturday night Acceleration, who turns three in November, scored his eighth win in only 18 starts when he rocketed away with the 520m Firefly Boy At Stud Stake.
After the race, Ray Pooley said: "He trialled 30.66 at Wenty a couple of weeks back on a slow night so we knew he was ready to fire.
"Before he won in 30.64 at Richmond he had only trialled 30.90 there.
"Acceleration had box six tonight and will be an even better greyhound from an inside draw.''
Jeff Collerson -Sunday, 14 August 2005
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