January 5, 2015
Brilliant sprinter, Above All, continued his outstanding recent form when he produced a memorable finish to claim victory in the Group 1 Silver Chief Classic at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Despite again faring badly in the box draw, the son of Magic Sprite announced to all and sundry that he was a chaser of top class proportions when he spotted Melbourne Cup victor Dyna Villa a seemingly insurmountable lead down the back straight.
But in the space of what seemed no more than 5 strides, Above All rounded up the early leader on the point of the home turn before holding on to defeat Dyna Villa with budding superstar, Dyna Double One flashing home into 3rd place in the time of 29:78.
"He had no right to win that race given the trouble he struck at the first turn but I've learnt never to give up on this as he is one of the most fanatical chaser's I have ever prepared." said a beeming trainer, Rob Britton, after the race.
Britton also revealed he would give Above All a slight let-up following his win and would by-pass the G1 Paws of Thunder series at Wentworth Park and concentrate on a tilt at the G1 Sky Racing Perth Cup at Cannington in early February.
The victory took Above All's record to 16 starts for 10 wins and 3 minor placings, with his prizemoney tally now stretching to in excess of $226,000.
December 19, 2014
In a dominant display of sustained speed, outstanding Magic Sprite sired chaser, Above All, established himself as one of Australia's boom greyhounds after claiming the Group1 Hobart Thousand last night.
The brilliance of the win was emphasised even more when the time of 25:52 was semaphored, eclipsing the previous track record mark for the 461 metres by 12/100th's of a second which was set by Paw Licking in the corresponding race in 2013.
The veteran of a mere 13 race start career which commenced with two wins in New Zealand in June this year, in contrast to his outstanding heat win 7 days prior when coming from last in the early stages, Above All gave nothing else a chance when he exploded from Box 5 to lead clearly after just 20 metres. Fast forward a further 441 metres and when the winning post was reached, Above All had a staggering 7.75 lengths to spare over Ride The Rails, with Melbourne Cup winner Dyna Villa a further 3/4 of a length away in 3rd place.
"When the boxes opened he was given plenty of room by the dogs drawn in boxes 4 and 6 but I have to say, the amount of pace he showed in the early stages was mind boggling," trainer Robbie Britton said after the victory. "I've always said he is one of the most fanatical chasers I've ever trained, but that win tonight was something else."
The Hobart Thousand is Australia's oldest feature event having first been run in 1935, and the honour roll of past winners includes some of the greats of the sport such as Rookie Rebel, Benjamin John and Brother Fox - the ease and dominance of Above All's win will live long in the memory of those that were fortunate enough to be trackside to witness it.
Although loathe to label him as the best dog he has ever trained, Britton said he is certainly up there with the best.
"He's a dog which gives his all every time he goes around and after that run tonight he has confirmed what I've thought of him since I got him. He's drawn Box 1 in a heat of the Silver Classic on Saturday night but I'll wait and see how he pulls up before deciding on whether he starts in that. If not, we'll look to place him in races such as the Paws of Thunder at Wentworth Park in January." Britton said.
The July 2012 son of Magic Sprite and Kara Janx has now had 13 starts for 9 wins and 2 minor placings with the $75,000 winners cheque from the Hobart Thousand taking his prize money earnings to in excess of $106,000.
One thing is for certain, you don't have to be a genius to work out that that tally will grow significantly in the coming year if Above All continues in his current vein of form.
September 19, 2014
MAGIC SPRITE continues to throw winner after winner
Boom Sire, Magic Sprite, continues his acendency up the NSW Sires premiership table and is currently in 4th place for the 2014 season.
Despite smaller numbers appearing at city venues in the first half of 2014, Magic Sprite currently has 56 Sydney winners to be just behind Collision, Cosmic Rumble and Where's Pedro.
Studmaster, John Carruthers, believes the second half of 2014 and 2015 is when Magic Sprite will really leave his mark on teh Australian stud scene
"We expected 2014 to be relatively quiet for him given the number of bitches that he served in 2012 so we are pleasantly surprised at where he is sitting on the Sires table but in the next 12 months, we really expect him to assert his authority," said Carruthers said. "The quality of bitch that he served in late 2012 is as good as any you could hope for and reports from some leading trainers are that there are some very promising pups about to hit the track in the next 6 months."
OUTSTANDING SPRINTER TOMAC BALE NOW STANDING AT JOURNEY PARK STUD
One of Australia's most exciting and consistent Group race sprinters, Tomac Bale has officially been retired to stud and is now standing at Journey Park Stud at the fee of just $1,100.
Tomac Bale, the winner of the Group 2 Launching Pad at Sandown Park at just his 5th race start, finished his career with the ultra-impressive record of 15 wins and 5 minor placings from just 33 starts, accumulating more than $180,000 in prize-money.
Consistently racing the best in Group 1 company, Tomac Bale set blistering times at The Meadows (29:67), Sandown Park (29:21), Albion Park (29:63) and Angle Park (29:63) and was runner-up in the 2013 G1 National Sprint Championship as well as the G1 Adeliade Cup final.
Tomac Bale is one of the best 'Wheeler' bred greyhounds to stand at stud in Australia and comes from one of their most prolific winning lines being by Dyna Lachlan out of the brilliant dam, Princess Bale, who has produced an absolute stunning array of Group 1 and Group 2 winning performers.
At $1,100. Tomac Bale represents outstanding value for breeders looking to inject genuine pace and strength into their pups. For bookings, contact John Carruthers on 0409 442 613 or 02 4777 5216
BLACK MAGIC OPAL WINS THE WORLD'S RICHEST GREYHOUND RACE
November 21, 2013
In a brilliant display of sustained speed, Black Magic Opal confirmed his position as Australia's best sprinter when he won the Group 1 2013 Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park tonight, in the process, providing Magic Sprite with the first Group 1 winner of his stud career.
Beginning brilliantly from Box 2, Black Magic Opal ran a scintillating 4:93 to the first mark to establish a commanding lead in the early stages, before holding on to that advantage in the run home over the 515m trip to defeat Dyna Beth and Hawk Alone.
For trainer Jason Thompson, it was his third Melbourne Cup victory, after scoring with Light Of Fire in 1994 and Got A Moment in 2012, and he joins master mentors Graeme Bate and Darren McDonald as the most successful trainer of the worlds richest greyhound race.
After the victory, Thompson told Sky Racing viewers how he had spotted Black Magic Opal during the G2 Maitland Cup series which he though he would win with his top class sprinter El Brooklyn, and which ultimately led to him purchasing BMO from owners Les and Carol Hudson.
"In his heat win, Black Magic Opal put 4 lengths on El Brooklyn in a matter of 20 metres and I thought El Brooklyn must have broken down. Next week he did the same thing in the final, and I knew then, he was absolute top class." Thompson said.
Victory in the G1 Melbourne Cup follows breathtaking wins at Geelong, when he broke the track record in consecutive weeks of the G2 Geelong Cup series before establishing new track record figures at Warrnambool over 460m also.
Magic Sprite's stud-master John Carruthers paid tribute to Jason Thompson's ability as a trainer.
"In my opinion, there are very few trainers who continually produce the goods when it comes to big race victories, but Jason stands at the top." Carruthers said. "When Black Magic Opal was out injured a couple of months ago, Jason told me he would bring him back and win the Gellong Cup and then set him for the Melbourne Cup and win that as well. He wasn't telling me that to be a hero, it was just that he had so much faith in the dogs ability."
Breeder's Les and Carol Hudson, who sold Black Magic Opal to clients of Thompson's kennel, were guests of the trainer on Cup night, and were genuinely ecstatic with the win.
"We are just so happy to see what he has achieved since Jason bought him...I'm 72 years of age and didn't have the time to be able to do with the dog what Jason has, but we are just so thrilled for them, it's amazing." Les told Sky Racing shortly after the win.
It's ironic that Magic Sprite's only defeat during his racing career came at Sandown Park, and now his biggest success to date as a Sire come at the same venue.
The immediate plans for Black Magic Opal are to contest the G2 Ballarat Cup or the G1 Hobart Thousand, with a decision to be made in the next week.
ANOTHER TRACK RECORD FALLS TO "BMO"
October 31, 2013
Only a select few greyhounds ever run close to a track record during their career, let alone break one, unless of course you are Black Magic Opal!
At Warrnambool tonight, Black Magic Opal recorded his 3rd track record run in as many starts when lowering the 450 metre track record to 24:87, and continues his record-breaking run spree after setting the benchmark in the heat and final of the 2013 Group 2 Geelong Cup series.
By Magic Sprite out of Awesome Opal, BMO's record now stands at 32 starts for 25 wins and 4 minor placings and Thompson plans to set the speedster for the upcoming G1 $500,000 Melbourne Cup series at Sandown Park, the richest greyhound race in the world.
BLACK MAGIC OPAL CLAIMS G2 GEELONG CUP FINAL IN TRACK RECORD TIME...AGAIN!
October 18, 2013
In what could only be described as freakish, Black Magic Opal confirmed the popular opinion that he is now Australia's fastest greyhound when winning the Group 2 Geelong Cup final tonight, and in the process, broke his own track record set just 4 nights ago!
After setting new track record figures of 25:25 for the 460 metre sprint in his heat win on Monday night, the son of Magic Sprite led from box-rise to defeat Farmor Las Vegas and stopped the clock at 25:11, taking more than 2 lengths off the previous mark.
Since resuming from an 2 month injury enforced spell, master trainer Jason Thompson has produced BMO at Sale where he won in 24:69 over the 440m before an emphatic 10 length win at Bendigo in a flying 23:55 over the 425m.
The G2 Geelong is next on the agenda for the star sprinter, with Thompson surely planning an assault on the G1 $500,000 Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park in November.
MAGIC SPRITE THROWS 17 IN ONE LITTER!
Victorian breeder Carolyn Jones experienced great success with champion chaser El Gran Senor, but it his litter sister Gian Gold who is now creating headlines.
Gian Gold recently whelped 17 pups in the one litter to Magic Sprite, and although they lost 4 shortly afterwards, the litter of 13 are now healthy and well. While this is her third and last litter, Gian Gold is no stranger to whelping down big numbers and in her previous litter she delivered a mere 15 pups.
HERE'S SOME OF MAGIC SPRITE'S LATEST WHELPINGS
Magic Sprite x Stylish Goddess - 5 dogs / 6 bitches
Magic Sprite x Fly Wheel Shazza - 3dogs / 3 bitches
Magic Sprite x Galba Magic - 4 dogs / 4 bitches
Magic Sprite x Osti's Myth - 2 dogs / 2 bitches
Magic Sprite x Mantra Style - 1 dog / 3 bitches
Magic Sprite x Mary Lou Cargo - 3 dogs / 5 bitches
Magic Sprite x Scarlett Hussy - 2 dogs
Magic Sprite x So Much Joy - 5 dogs / 2 bitches
Magic Sprite x Mrs Meehan - 5 dogs / 4 bitches
Magic Sprite x It's Show Time - 5 dogs / 3 bitches
Magic Sprite x Wind It Up - 4 dogs
Magic Sprite x Bearly Normal - 1 dog / 3 bitches
MAGIC SPRITE HOLDS 4TH PLACE ON WENTWORTH PARK SIRES TABLE
September 1, 2013
With winners appearing at virtually every Wentworth Park meeting each Friday and Saturday night, Magic Sprite has moved into a clear 4th position on the premiership table and is making a late run to claim top honours for 2013.
As of September 1, Magic Sprite had accumulated 67 winners at Wentworth Park and sits behind Where's Pedro (85), Collision (83), and Bit Chili (80), with legendary sire Bombastic Shiraz in 5th position on 49.
"The response from breeders has been nothing short of sensational, and while we were always hopeful of him making it as a sire, it's very gratifying to see him actually achieve that." studmaster John Carruthers said.
ROYAL SPRITE LOOKS TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME
July 8, 2013
Royal Sprite made it 3 wins from his last 4 starts and took his career statistics to 5 wins from 9 starts when taking out the 4/5 Grade feature event at Richmond last Saturday night, but he has a fair amount of ground to make up on some of his more illustrious littermates.
An April 2011 pup by Magic Sprite out of Elizabeth Royal, Royal Sprite is a littermate to the likes of Triggsy, Clockwise and Being Good, who have been burning up the tracks in recent months, in turn, making a name for their sire.
"This pup has had so much bad luck, at one stage I actually thought he'd injured his brain," mused John Carruthers, "but his win at Richmond on Saturday night was as good as you'll see against some much better credentialled gallopers than hiimself."
Clocking a best of night 30:84 following on from a 30:66 win at the same track two weeks prior, Carruthers said Royal Sprite's career to date has been quite honestly a litany of problems.
"He won his first 2 starts at Bulli in the best of the night but then he suffered a fall and damaged a toe. While he was spelling he ran into a gate, how I don't know, but he's ended up with a big indentation in his nose."
"There's very little on the clock between those four pups, but Triggsy and Clockwise have raced and won in good company and both made the final of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic, (Triggsy finishing 3rd and Clockwise running 4th behind Xylia Allen) while Royal Sprite and Being Good have been frustrated by injuries." said Carruthers.
The quartet's racing record is ultra-impressive - between them they have started on 67 occasions for 29 wins and 23 placings, with numerous best of night wins to their credit, but Carruthers expects the best is yet to come.
"I don't know how far they'll get but I've just sent Triggsy to Kel Greenough for a possible tilt at the Maturity and then onwards to a middle distance campaign where I think these dogs will really excel. I'm not sure whether they'll run '700' but the 600 metres at The Meadows and the 595 trip at Sandown should be perfect for a dog like Triggsy, and depending on how the others shape up in coming months, they too could be heading south to Kel." Carruthers said.
Carruthers also laments the fact that in 2013, Wentworth Park does not have a middle distance start, and it doesn't appear one will ever be installed.
"For years now, myself and other prominent trainers have been pushing for a 600 metre start to be installed at Wentworth Park but to date, it's fallen on deaf ears. After racing in town over the sprints, my only option for a dog like Triggsy is to take him to tracks such as Gosford, Dapto and Richmond to win a 600 metre race worth $1,000. Or else, I can send him to Victoria where he can race at The Meadows and Sandown for $5,000 a win. It's not hard to work out what you have to do, but unfortunately, that's the end of the dog as far as a career in NSW is concerned.
"I really can't see why a 600 can't be installed at Wenty, but despite our representations, nothing has ever been done. I'm not complaining now because I've got dogs that need 600 metres, myself and a lot of others have been saying this for years."
Given the amazing success that John and Jane Carruthers experienced with legendary chaser Rapid Journey, its hard to imagine they are in the midst of a career best run, but that's exactly how John Carruthers views it.
"It was an unbelievable experience with 'Carl', but overall, with the team we have at the moment, we have never had a better run than what we are currently experiencing. What with the sucess of Magic Sprite at stud and also the way the race dogs are performing, it has definitely been our best year to date." Carruthers said.
SPRITE BAGS A QUARTET OF WINNERS AT GOSFORD
June 19, 2013
Boom young sire Magic Sprite continued his ascendency up the Sire ranks by producing four winners at the Gosford meeting last night.
At just his first full season as a sire, Magic Sprite contiues to throw chasers with an abundance of early speed and now the strength of his dam line, through the wonderful producer Glamorous, is coming to the fore.
His winners last night included Swahili and Just Like Paluza, while Boyanna (29:81) and Lady In Black (23:17) registred the best times of the night over the 515m and 400m trips
BLACK MAGIC OPAL TAKES VICTORIA BY STORM
June 1, 2013
Connections have received a quick return on their investment after recent high-priced purchase Black Magic Opal, made it a trifecta of 'best of night' victories since entering the kennels of leading trainer Jason Thompson.
After brilliant wins at Ballarat (25:03) and Shepparton (24.92), the son of Magic Sprite returned to Wentworth Park in a heat of the G1 Peter Mosman Classic to stop the clock at 29:77 and take his record to 16 wins from just 20 starts.
SHARON MONELLI CLAIMS 'SANDI'S ME MUM' MEMORIAL FINAL
April 27, 2013
Sharon Monelli continued the amazing winning sequence of the Magic Sprite x Fantasy Monelli litter when taking out the prestigous Sandi's Me Mum Memorial final at Cannington tonight.
Exiting speedily from Box 7, Sharon Monelli tracked the early leader Need A Seatbelt until the home turn before taking the lead and holding off the late challenge of Vocal Enforcer, to score in the good time of 30.50 for the 530 metre trip.
The January 2011 whelping is just one of a litter by boom sire Magic Sprite that is carrying all before them. Bred by the Quincee family, the litter all carry the 'Monelli' suffix and include; Dallas; Debbie; Harry; Houdini; Pamela; and Sharon; and to date, the litter-mates have faced the starter on 140 occasions for 48 wins and 47 placings.
The win also gave trainer Dave Hobby his fourth success in the Sandi's Me Mum Memorial, named in honour of arguably Western Australia's greatest chaser.
BLACK MAGIC OPAL SIZZLES IN WENTWORTH PARK DEBUT
April 20, 2013
The much anticipated Wentworth Park debut of recent G2 Maitland Gold Cup winner, Black Magic Opal, left race fans in no doubt that he is a chaser with immense ability after he scored a 11 length victory in 29.79 on a rain-soaked track.
Despite missing the start fractionally off the inside box, Black Magic Opal mustered pace that quickly that by the time he had reached the first turn, he had already established a clear margin of 4 lengths over his nearest rival.
Clocking sectionals of 5:40 to the first mark and 13:76 down the back, the son of Magic Sprite and Awesome Opal allayed any fears he may be suspect over the 520m by widening his margin in the run to the winning post. The win took Black Magic Opal's career tally to 16 starts for 13 wins and 3 minor placings and more than $57,000 in prize-money, continuing the fairytale ride for husband and wife training team of Les and Carol Hudson from Budgewoi on NSW's Central Coast.
The victory also consolidated Magic Sprite's standing on the NSW Metropolitan Sires standings, where he currently sits in 5th position behind established stars such as Collision, Bit Chili, Where's Pedro and Bombastic Shiraz.
