You’ve heard all about the fun and dangerous Dees that are making a charge for September glory.
What about the fun and dangerous dog trained by a former Dee that is staking his claim for some silverware in May?
Former AFL player-turned greyhound trainer Greg Doyle and his talented pooch Electrify are chasing the biggest win of their respective careers in Friday night’s $220,000 Sandown Cup.
Electrify qualified for the G1 race by winning the fastest heat and, while Doyle has little doubt he has the class to win the race, he’s concerned about the draw and the presence of star stayer Without A Trace.
With TAB, Electrify is on the second line of betting at $4.40 behind joint favourites Without A Trace and Mahpie Hector, both at $4.20.
“It’s a huge night and it’s one of our marquee events for the sport with the Harrison Dawson for the boys and the Sapphire Crown for the girls, as well as the Sandown Cup, all at Group 1 level,” Doyle told SEN.
“I’m super excited to have a runner.
“He (Electrify) is still learning and he’s been in two or three big races before without a lot of luck so I’m hoping for a little bit more on Friday night.
“He won in the fastest heat time last week when he got a few nocks and was held up for a run here and there so he can probably go quicker if he gets a clear run.
“He’s out in box eight which gives him a chance to get clear early but he needs to get past a few before the first corner or else he’s going to get posted wide.
“I don’t think he can lead because there are a couple of really quick beginners, including Without A Trace who is one of our superstars but he’s got enough pace to hopefully get across into a position behind her.
“He’s certainly got the ability to put himself in the finish.”
Greyhound racing has been a longtime passion for Doyle, who played 29 games for Melbourne and three games for St Kilda as a ruck-forward type in the early 1990s.
He trained his first winner more than 30 years ago but a Sandown Cup win would clearly rate as his greatest moment in the sport.
“I trained my first winner in 1993 when I was playing at Melbourne,” he said.
“I had a couple of greyhounds in the backyard when I was still living with mum about 600m from the Sandown track.
“With the track so close to home, I got interested when I was 18 or 19 and my uncle bought our first greyhound.
“I’ve had an interest since then but with football and work commitments I haven’t always had a dog but I certainly got back involved seriously about five or six years ago.”
