Throughout the week greyhound racing expert Brennan Ryan has counted down his top 20 Hobart Thousand winners and today he has reached his top five.
If you missed the first 15, take a look at TasracingTV On Demand.
- Bomber’s A Flyer (Friendly Flyer – Coral Blue)
- 65 Starts
- 36 Wins
- 11 Seconds
- 9 Thirds
Many racing experts regard Bomber’s A Flyer as one of the best sprinters of the mid 90’s.
The red brindle was the result of a purchase of two pups by Mount Direction-trainer Laurence Mulligan from breeders Jim and Julie Bannon. Litter brother Friendly George held his claim winning 16 races and finishing fourth in each of the Hobart Thousand, Launceston Cup and Devonport Cup.
Bomber’s A Flyer didn’t set the world on fire overnight though patience and perseverance by Mulligan resulted in a graded race at Devonport on 12 March 1996, when at only 25-months of age he won the event by a massive twelve lengths and smashing the track record in the process.
12 straight wins later and another 17 victories included several best of the night times and three classic race wins.
This champion dog won an Illingworth Classic at White City then went on to a Tasmanian Gold Cup win at the Hobart Showgrounds where “Bomber” missed the start, but his legendary ability carried him to a 1 ¾ lengths victory over Moonambel Prince running 26.20 seconds.
1996 was a memorable year for connections of Bomber’s A Flyer as the then Group 2 Hobart Thousand came around in December. Committee of the Hobart club organised a special $1000 bonus for any dog that won the Gold Cup/Hobart Thousand double.
Bomber’s A Flyer had won the first leg and Laurence Mulligan was determined to have his great charge primed for what would be a tough challenge. In his heat, off the coveted red box he towelled the great youngster Shantung Tiger by five lengths running a blistering 25.89 seconds.
He met strife in his semi final carrying the yellow rug, and only his great will to win saw him gain second behind New Sunset and a spot in the final. From the two alley, this great dog let no-one down in Tasmania’s biggest race.
He was pressured early by New Sunset but held the lead and was 2 ¼ lengths clear of Shantung Tiger (which won it the following year) in a slick 25.94. The big bonus was his as well.
An Easter Cup and Tasmanian Derby further added to the champs’ record, he was simply a freak!
- Shantung Tiger (Shantytown – Westlee Silk)
- 44 Starts
- 28 Wins
- 11 Minor Placings
Shantung Tiger was bred in the purple to become a superstar for trainers Richard & Jillian Stamford.
A true U-turn track specialist, Shantung Tiger recorded a handful of classic race victories that included a Devonport Cup, Tasmanian Gold Cup and Easter Plate and was a placegetter in both a Tasmanian Sprint Championship and Tasmanian Derby.
Interstate success saw Shantung Tiger take out the Parklands Derby on the former Gold Coast track.
The red brindle dog was arguably the greatest to have come off the Stamford’s famous Diamond Park kennels, still based at Westbury, to this very day. At 21-months-old Shantung Tiger ran an almighty second to Bomber’s A Flyer in the 1996 Hobart Thousand.
“Tiger” made up for his defeat that following year taking out the Thousand winning both the heat and semi-final. Starting 2/5 favourite off the coveted red box, Shantung Tiger was powerful in the run home steaming past his rivals scoring by 2 ¼ lengths over the fast finishing Conrod.
Shantung Tiger was destined to not only be a Hobart Thousand winner by a great chaser, his sire Shantytown, also prepared by the Stamford’s, won the 1990 edition of the Hobart Thousand along with 23 race victories from 38 career starts.
The Stamford’s are amongst four trainers to have several Hobart Thousand wins to their name.
- Above All (Magic Sprite – Kara Janx)
- 33 Starts
- 15 Wins
- 5 Seconds
- 3 Thirds
2014 was another memorable edition of Tasmania’s only Group 1 feature race.
At the time, an unknown New Zealand-bred greyhound named Above All entered the Victorian ranks under the elite training methods of Lara-based Robert Britton. The black sprinter had only two starts at Christchurch for owner/breeder Alison Lee before being shipped across the Tasman.
Within nine of his Victorian starts, Above All set tongues wagging setting a slashing time of 29.33 on debut at Sandown Park winning by well over five lengths in the process.
He also did connections proud running a gallant fourth to Dyna Villa in the 2014 Group one Melbourne Cup.
Onwards to the Hobart Thousand, Britton sent Above All to Tasmania while under the care of trainer Mick Stringer winning his heat of the Thousand with a stunning effort coming from midfield beating Wynburn Rush by 3 ½ lengths as the $1.20 favourite.
The clash with Melbourne Cup winner Dyna Villa was once again on the cards and coming off a tough draw from box five, Above All produced a breathtaking performance taking the lead coming off the bottom corner drawing away while smashing the track record in the process.
Britton now has three Hobart Thousand wins to his credit with Prankster (2009) and Rock Up Top (2017).
Above All completed an ultimate elite double winning the Hobart Thousand/Silver Chief. A few pain staking injuries crept into this brilliant gallopers’ career, though he made a brilliant comeback performance to claim the Group two Cranbourne Cup over 520-metres.
A nobody dog became one of the top sprinters to have hailed from the Land of the Long White Cloud.
- Brother Fox (Little Blade – Pitstock Park)
- 19 Starts
- 12 Wins
- 2 Seconds
- 3 Thirds
Champion NSW sprinter Brother Fox is held in the highest regard as one of the genuinely great speed dogs of his generation in just a short 19 start career which spanned over 13 months.
Whelped in February 1983, Brother Fox was owned and trained by Steve Kavanagh and commenced racing in July 1984 at the tender age of just 15 months.
Along the way before winning the prestigious 1985 Hobart Thousand, Brother Fox had amounted a decent record including some memorable feature wins starting with the Vic Peters Classic scoring by five lengths in advance of Brave Gambler in a new world and track record time.
Covering the famous Harold Park 457-metre trip Brother Fox set a blistering time of 25.82 seconds.
1985 saw Brother Fox finding himself in Tasmania contesting a heat of the oldest classic event still conducted in Australia, the Hobart Thousand over 497 metres.
Despite the disadvantage of box six in his heat, he was sent out a prohibitive 1/8 favourite and did not let supporters down, blitzing his rivals in an 11-length romp over Highland Port who had finished second in the 1984 Hobart Thousand final. Brother Fox ran a new track record time of 28.35.
He again scored by 11 lengths in his semi-final defeating Bridport Silver and ran 28.21 to take 14/100ths off his own track mark.
In the final of the Hobart Thousand, Brother Fox was poorly placed in box seven, but punters could not see him tasting defeat. Despite the presence of Tasmanian champion Busy Vintage in the line-up, he went into the traps as a short-priced $1.30 elect. Brother Fox repaid the faith by giving nothing else a chance, blasting around the circuit in a brilliant 28.31 and beating Busy Vintage by six lengths.
The Fox won two other age classic events including the Peter Mosman and Potential Stakes. His influence as a sire has Brother Fox being held in high acclaim being a leading producer.
There are not many greyhounds that can come close to the calibre of the great Brother Fox.
- Ophir Doll (Propulsion – Ophir Kitty)
- 35 wins
Ophir Doll is a household name among racing enthusiasts in Tasmania earning legendary status being the only greyhound to have won consecutive Hobart Thousand titles.
Owned and trained by the great Hilda Williamson at Beaconsfield, the black sprinter was a true TCA track specialist having rarely raced around the home track of White City. Ophir Doll won from all boxes, remembering fields back then were 10 up from the eight they are now.
She could lead or come from behind and that talent was valuable when coming to the 1961 Hobart Thousand. At the time the best sprinters from all over Australia had made a priority in targeting the race over a distance of 540 yards.
From box six Ophir Doll came from last at halfway to defeat Shan’s Choice by two lengths in a front of a massive crowd. In 1962 she repeated the dose, this time coming from box nine to beat fellow local Evening Thunder and again running 30 seconds dead.
Just for good measure Hilda Williamson won the 1963 Hobart Thousand as well, this time with Ophir Doll’s sister Ophir Gold. Amazingly too, Ophir Doll was in that 1963 Hobart Thousand Final as well but finished 4th from box four.
She remains the only chaser to make the Thousand Final three times, recording two wins and a fourth.
Thankfully, footage remains to this day of Ophir Doll winning the 1961 Hobart Thousand at the TCA.
Ophir Doll gained the attention from around the world to the point she was offered to represent Australia in the International Championship at Florida in the USA. Unfortunately, satisfactory travel arrangements could not be met to allow her to take part in the event.
The racing community regard Ophir Doll as a fine chaser and rightfully takes place in Hobart Thousand history. She is also a member of the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame alongside her trainer Hilda Williamson, both a formidable force in the early days of greyhound racing.
Watch Brennan’s top five Hobart Thousand winners below.