Cindeen Shelby’s 2009 Group 2 Multicam Black Top

Classy bitch Cindeen Shelby, unlucky in last years Multicam Black Top Final, atoned with a hollow victory in the 2009 final at The Gardens last night.

A pronounced $2.50 favourite with the NSW Tab after a very quick heat win the previous week, Cindeen Shelby jumped in front from box three. Queenslander Voodoo Prince raced up outside the favourite and put his head in front going past the winning post in a first split of five seconds. Hesa Felon quickly away from box eight made a line of three before the first turn.

A great railer, Cindeen Shelby led into the back with Hesa Felon on her outside and she went through the second section in 17.55.

Gazmick Storm after a slow start, circled the field to be in third place coming off the back. Once she led into the home straight Cindeen Shelby dropped the challengers and careered away to win by four lengths from a gallant Gazmick Storm ($10.70) with Hesa Felon ($9.50) a neck away third. Cindeen Shelby's run home time of 12.09 is very quick and overall she posted 29.64 for the 515 metres.

Victorian bitch Flash Of Light's performance to finish fourth a head behind Hesa Felon was an eye catcher. She was slowly away from the rails box and she eased off Cindeen Shelby's heels at the post the first time around. Flash Of Light was last through the catching pen but raced home strongly. She is desperate for an outside box and is crying out for a 600 metre journey.

Cindeen Shelby is owned by Ray Parkinson, who is retired and is a resident of Lemon Tree Passage in the Port Stephens region. Parkinson's son Deen trained the bitch to win thirteen of her initial twenty three starts and her wins included the prestigious Group 2 Young Star Classic Final at Wentworth Park in July last year. Cindeen Shelby had a seasonal spell after an unplaced run at Wentworth Park in November and the bitch was transferred to respected Victorian trainer Kelvin Greenough for an interstate campaign.

She has won seven from twelve for Greenough and she has taken a liking to The Meadows where she was only .03 outside Big Daddy Cool's on March 28. , wife of the trainer, accompanied Cindeen Shelby on the two plane trips to Newcastle and I caught up with her at their Pearcedale property near Cranbourne on Monday.

“We are very proud of the bitch and again she proved her class in the Black Top. She is such a dream to train. I stayed with the Parkinson's and they could not do enough for us. I was very concerned when Cindeen Shelby was knocked over in the catching pen after the race. She was stiff and sore when we got home on Saturday but she is okay today.

“Cindeen Shelby and Kel will fly to Sydney later in the week and she will run in a heat of the Paws Of Thunder. I told Kel it's his turn to travel as I am going to the football to cheer on .

“We are hoping the bitch receives an invite to run in the Top Gun at The Meadows next month and she will contest the series. We are confident she will run a strong 600 and that distance is an option later in the year,” Greenough said.

Owner Ray Parkinson excited after the Black Top win said if not only for his daughter in law Michelle he would not own Cindeen Shelby.

“Adele Powell whelped the litter and I selected Full On Shelby. There were a couple of pups still to be sold and Michelle fell in love with the red fawn bitch. She convinced me to buy the bitch and after last Friday night she has won more than $100,000 in prizemoney.

“Deen and Michelle did a great job with her before she went to Kelvyn. Adele Powell, who is Deen's mentor recommended Kel to Deen and the bitch has thrived down south.

It was a great night on Friday with the parochial crowd cheering Cindeen Shelby home,” Parkinson said.

The Systems Black Top series was again a huge success. It was the fifth running of the event. The Calcutta Dinner held on the eve of the final was a winner with a full house there to hear some great stories from guest speaker Steve Roach.

A crowd of more than 1500 ventured to The Gardens on Friday night and there was a good atmosphere.

The sponsors, the Gordon family, entertained 80 guests in their corporate box. The Black Top Dinner was held in Eden's Restaurant and special guests included Newcastle's Lord Mayor John Tate, GRNSW Chief Executive Brent Hogan and fellow employees Tony Richens and . GRNSW board members Bill Mangafas and Murray Nicol were also there along with NCA Directors and Paul Ambrosoli.

The track and the surroundings were a credit to the staff and the racing was of the highest quality.

After the placed runners the field finished in the following order 4th Flash Of Light ($5.90), 5th Excel Like Time ($5.10), 6th Voodoo Prince ($16.00) 7th After Party ($8.70) and Devine Ruler ($27.70).

Cindeen Shelby is Red Fawn Bitch whelped August '06 she is by from Proper Shelby (Royal Assassin x Proper Angel). She is raced by Ray Parkinson and trained by Kelvyn Greenough the Group 2 Black Top Classic win took her record to 36 starts for 21 wins and seven placings and prizemoney earnings of $109,050.

The could not have selected a better name for this on going feature at the Gardens. Black Top by Top Linen from Classy Jane was an icon of the sport, he was raced by Frank Holmes of Highfields (near Newcastle) and his breeder Mrs. Edna Hanson bred him in Birmingham Gardens the suburb in which the Gardens track is located.

He raced in the early 60's only contested 20 races for 17 wins and two seconds. He retired as Australia's highest stakes winner with 5352 Pounds. His introductory stud fee set at 65 pound was a record service fee in Australia. A breeding success of extraordinary proportions Black Top created his own dynasty which continually re-wrote the record books on greyhound racing in this country.

The feature races his progeny won and the stars he produced are to numerous to list, he served a record 1326 bitches and sired 6000 puppies earning approximately $150,000 in service fees. There is no doubt we will never see another Black Top, he was the one and only. Black Top was inducted into the AGRA Hall of Fame at the AGRA Awards night at Sandown in March 2008.

Multicam Black Top Honour Roll

  • 2005 Buddy Rich 29.41
  • 2006 Mojestic 29.87
  • 2007 One Tree Hill 29.44
  • 2008 Lochinvar Prada 29.65
  • 2009 Cindeen Shelby 29.64
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