In Brief
- Handsome Prince eyes the one million dollar prize.
- Breeder/trainer Patrick Ryan continues a great involvement with the bloodline.
- Second tasbred greyhound qualified for the race since Jamella Jet in 2018.
The interest of all participants in Australian greyhound racing will be focused solely upon Wentworth Park in Sydney on Friday night with the final of the GRNSW Million Dollar Chase over 520 metres.
It has taken two years for the industry at large to fully understand the concept of the new feature race.
Having regional qualifiers across the country tracks in New South Wales has generated a whole new feel about greyhound racing, with those small towns benefiting from the income and having the privilege to witness the best sprinters in the land gracing their racetracks trying to qualify for the event.
It was three years ago to the date when the smart Tasmanian-bred sprinter Jamella Jet was runner-up in 2018.
2020 sees the Patrick Ryan-bred Handsome Prince as one of eight finalists in the world’s richest greyhound race having made it through to the final, winning his semi in emphatic fashion.
Handsome Prince as a pup.
The brindle son of Sh Avatar and See Blue’s Girl was sold to interstate interest less than a month ago.
Ryan has a close but proud involvement with the all winning/producing bloodline for over 24 years. He would inherent the training duties of a 29-kilogram bitch in the name of Wine Glass from Kym Waters.
Waters had sent the Head Honcho bitch to the then Beenleigh trainer and from there a brilliant career was set in stone winning 28 races including victory in the 1997 Group 1 Eukanuba Cup (now Gold Bullion) at Albion Park.
She made group finals of the Melbourne Cup, Adelaide Cup and National Sprint Championship.
Five generations later the Ryan/Waters combination came together again courtesy of See Blue’s Girl.
See Blue’s Girl raced in Tasmania by the Dilston-based Patrick Ryan for 12 wins from 32 starts. In her second and final mating since her retirement from racing, See Blue’s Girl whelped in May 2018 a litter of six pups with an ambitious 18-month wait to see their potential on what was to yet unfold.
Raised on a five-acre property by trainer/breeder Patrick Ryan, the litter was put through their paces by the top-class conditioner and eventually broken-in with promising reports indicating the litter would progress to make their debuts in the Devonport Breeders Classic last December.
Handsome Prince finished fourth in the semis and three starts on would see him break maiden status.
Handsome Prince outside the racetrack environment.
In a watershed moment the brindle dog never looked back and 13 starts later with a further six wins to his career record, gave connections great joy to see their home-bred progeny make success on the race track; the litter have won 31 races from 78 starts combined and over $79,000 in prizemoney.
The litter created a memorable feat when running the first-four in the 2020 Launceston Breeders Classic Final.
Selling home bred stock can be hard felt, though smart decisions for the future always need to be made.
Four starts now into his interstate career, Handsome Prince has won two races under the guidance of Llandilo trainer Peter Lagogiane, who prepared inaugural Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot, paid homage to the efforts of Patrick Ryan after the semi-final victory.
“He just keeps taking a step forward every week he’s here … he’s just a professional race dog.
“The dog came up in fantastic order from Pat Ryan in Tassie which allowed us to shoot for this series not long after he arrived. He deserves a lot of credit for him getting this far,” Lagogiane said.
This Friday night at 22:03 Handsome Prince will jump from box seven, rated a $17 chance with Ladbrokes.
The grand final of the GRNSW Million Dollar Chase will be showcased in prime time on the Nine Network as part of the broadcaster’s National Rugby League Preliminary Final coverage.
Win, lose or draw Handsome Prince will do connections and Tassie breeders proud on Friday night.
GRNSW Million Dollar Chase Final Box Draw
Box 1 – Shadow Mist / Lauren Harris (SA)
Box 2 – Xerri / Darryl Thomas (NSW)
Box 3 – Flying Ricciardo / Kristy Sultana (NSW)
Box 4 – Waging War / John Finn (NSW)
Box 5 – Wallbanger / Christine Proctor (NSW)
Box 6 – Awesome Catch / Jodie Lord (NSW)
Box 7 – Handsome Prince / Peter Lagogiane (NSW)
Box 8 – Tommy Shelby / Steve Withers (WA)
Reserves
No 9 – Faithy Bale / Andrea Dailly (VIC)
No 10 – Shetland / Peter Lagogiane (NSW)