Mr Issues emerged as Tasmania’s latest star chaser when he powered home to win the Betfair Young Star Classic over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last night.
Despite going into the final with three successive wins to his credit including an impressive Young Star heat win, most major punters ignored his form, preferring to punt up big on the Gary Greig-trained duo of Octane Assassin ($1.60) and Showtime ($4.70).
Those who rallied for the Greig-trained duo would have been heading to the payout queue on the home turn when Octane Assassin hit the front and with Showtime hot in pursuit.
But neither could answer the powerful finish of Mr Issues that hit the line with a neck to spare over Octane Assassin with Showtime only a half-head astern.
Mr Issues is trained by Gary Johnson who has prepared the youngster since he was 11 months old.
“I knew this dog had a future from the first time I slipped him at Devonport not long after he arrived in my kennel,” Johnson said.
“He progressed nicely and he has faultless manners which is one of his biggest assets.
Mr Issues is owned by Allison Haustein who bought the dog as a young pup from prominent breeder Barry Heawood.
“I was in a relationship that involved greyhounds and while that relationship is no longer I was determined to get more involved with greyhounds because they are such wonderful animals,” Haustein said.
“I went to Barry Heawood to buy a pup and I ended up buying two.”
“I bought Mr Issues (Big Daddy Cool-Teandee Mist) and I also bought a pup by Collision from Regent Ebony and he is named Pantry Pat and is owned by my son Andrew Dixon,” she said.
Mr Issues has had 12 starts for six wins and three minor placings with last Thursday night’s effort clearly his best.
To spot dogs of the calibre of Octane Assassin and Showtime at least a half-dozen lengths on the turn and overhaul them is quite a remarkable effort.
Haustein said she didn’t think her dog would win his heat against Octane Assassin.
“In his heat I thought we would be happy if he ran second but he did in his heat pretty much what he did in this final.”
“I can’t believe how lucky I am to get a dog like him at my first try,” she said.
Haustein also plans to train in her own right.’
While she is content to leave Mr Issues and Pantry Pat with top trainer Gary Johnson, she has six other dogs at home at Somerset that she could prepare as an owner-trainer.
“I have my trainer’s licence and it won’t be long before I’ll have my first runner,” she said.
Haustein plans to go all the way and also become involved in breeding greyhounds.
“I really have been taken by the greyhound industry and it’s not just the dogs.”
“The people are so friendly and helpful and while I’ve still got a lot to learn it’s made a bit easier by the way people in this industry go out of their way to help,” she said Back to results