By Peter Quilty
The ‘magical match race’ between ‘million-dollar babies’ Wow She’s Fast (Victoria) and She’s A Pearl (New South Wales) has moved into momentum mode.
It took one giant leap towards reality for greyhound racing when Wow She’s Fast’s co-trainer, Pearcedale-based Kel Greenough, was interviewed on radio station SEN on Tuesday.
When asked by Andrew Bensley, on his SEN Track program, “What’s this talk about a match race?”
Greenough replied.
“You know the New South Wales and Victorian rivalry; it’s being going on for a long time… We’re up for the challenge,” Greenough said.
“We are probably looking at October – maybe the third week in October, but at this stage that could vary.
“She’s A Pearl is an absolute freakish talent and she’s won more money than we have, so it would be a mouth-watering contest and I think a lot of people would like to see it.”
Bensley then quizzed Greenough on a likely venue.
“Have you worked out where the race would be?”
“Look, at this stage, they’re (She’s A Pearl’s co-trainers Andy and Jodie Lord) keen to come down and have a look at The Meadows, going into the match race, in preparation for the race that’s coming up later,” Greenough responded.
“We’ve got a Topgun on probably the week after.
“So, we do have a slight window to say it may work.
“But in saying that, there’s still a fair bit of water to pass under the bridge.”
Bensley then asked.
“We often think of match races; are they suitable, are they not? But I think if there’s any code, I think greyhound racing is well suited,” Bensley asked, then explained.
“Absolutely, Andrew, it’s probably a good sport to have a match race – especially when you see two females of their calibre,” Greenough said.
“Everyone wants to see a challenge and the interstate rivalry will top it off a bit more.
“We’re both keen to take it on and see where it goes.
“But you know, it’s good for the sport and that’s probably what we’re trying to do – put the sport out there and gain a bit of profile.”
Wow She’s Fast ($1,068,370) has won 13 races from 18 starts – including a $750,000 first prize in the inaugural TAB Phoenix, along with the G1 Sapphire Crown and G3 Launching Pad – while She’s A Pearl ($1,353,010) has won 22 races from 32 starts, including a $1,000,000 purse in the TAB Million Dollar Chase and G1 Golden Easter Egg.
This potential match-up made in heaven would simply be a super sprinters’ ‘Star Wars’!
And now, the sport’s biggest question: can our PR gurus make the ‘Match Race of the Millennium’ happen?
Watch this space…
Paw-note: Wow She’s Fast is a raging hot $1.40 TAB fixed odds favourite for the $100,000 to-the-winner G1 Maturity Classic (Race 8, 8.52pm) at The Meadows on Saturday night.
