Tasracing, in conjunction with the Greyhound of the Year Selection Panel have announced the final three contenders for the 2021 Greyhound of the Year Award to be presented at the Tasmanian Greyhound Annual Awards & Launceston Cup Finalists presentation evening at the Ladbrokes Racing Centre, Launceston on Saturday night 29 January 2022.
The finalists, in alphabetical order are Quick Joey Small, Superior Wallis and Wynburn Sheean.
Any one of these greyhounds has the credentials to take out the award and the selection panel will have a difficult time determining the ultimate winner.
A summary of the achievements of the three finalists are as follows:
QUICK JOEY SMALL
He is a black dog whelped in October 2018 by Aston Dee Bee from She’s All Class and is owned by Stephen Dome and the Estate of the Late Syd Holland and trained by David Crosswell at Longford.
Quick Joey Small had 37 starts for 16 wins, six seconds and six thirds in 2021.
His Major wins included
- A Heat of the Ladbrokes Launceston Cup
- A Heat of the Illingworth Classic at Launceston
- A Heat of the GOTBAT Div 2 Series at Hobart
- The LGRC Life Members Cup
- A Heat and the Final of the Colonial Hotel Mid Distance Championship at Launceston
He finished 3rd in the Ladbrokes Illingworth Classic Final at Launceston, finished 2nd in the Shane Yates Memorial Cup Final at Hobart, finished 2nd in the Heat and 3rd in the Final of the Ladbrokes Tasmanian Sprint Championship at Launceston, finished 2nd in a Heat of the Ladbrokes Devonport Chase and finished 2nd in a Heat of the Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand.
SUPERIOR WALLIS
He is a black dog whelped in November 2018 by Barcia Bale from Superior Zoe and is owned by Jodie Wynd from Mickleham in Victoria and is trained by Nicole Howard at Richmond.
Superior Wallis came into Nicole’s kennels in July 2021 and he had 14 starts in Tasmania for 9 wins, 1 second and 1 third. Prior to coming to Tasmania he had 21 starts in Victoria for 2 wins, 3 seconds and 5 thirds in 2021.
His major wins include:
- Kings of Healesville Final
- A Heat of the Tasmanian Gold Cup at Hobart
- A Heat and the Final of the Group 3 Ladbrokes Devonport Chase
- The Barry Heawood Hobart Thousand Prelude
- A Heat of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand
Unfortunately, he was injured in the final of the Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand but is on the road to recovery.
In five months Nicole took him from a Grade 5 greyhound to a Group 1 finalist.
WYNBURN SHEEAN
He is a black dog whelped in October 2018 by Aston Dee Bee from She’s All Class and was owned by the Wynburn Racing Syndicate which is managed by Tom Englund and trained by Ben Englund at Wynyard.
He had 12 starts in Tasmania for nine wins and one second before he went to Queensland under the care of trainer Tony Brett in June 2021 where he had five starts for three wins before returning to Tasmania for two more starts for one second.
His major wins include:
- A Heat and the Final of the Buckle Up Wes Rising Stars at Launceston
- A Heat and the Final of the Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup
- A Heat and the Final of the Reg & Aileen Ivory Memorial Classic at Devonport
- A Heat and the Final of the GOTBAT Series Division 1 at Hobart
- A Heat of the Group1 Brisbane Cup
He was a finalist of the 2020 Greyhound of the Year which was taken out by Handsome Prince.
At his last start at Devonport in November he was injured. His stud career was unfortunately curtailed with his premature passing.