Oaks Road Named NSW Greyhound Of The Year

Oaks Road has won the 2012 Betfair award at a gala event at the Sydney Town Hall last night.

The Mark Gatt-trained Group 1 winner defeated the two other nominees Bye Bye Bucks and He Knows Uno for the major honour. An elated Gatt was on hand to accept the award along with Oaks Road's owner and breeder Edwin Kingswell.

Oaks Road, trained in Thirlmere, had a brilliant 2012, winning the Group 1 , the Group 2 Bob Payne Sprint and the Group 2 Maitland . He also represented NSW at the Sprint Championships at Hobart before he succumbed to injury and was retired to stud.

Despite Oaks Road being named Betfair NSW Greyhound of the Year, both Bye Bye Bucks and He Knows Uno did not leave empty handed.

Bye Bye Bucks, trained by Ken Lewis at Raby, was rewarded for a terrific 2012 by winning the Sprinter of the Year award. Bye Bye Bucks won 16 races in 2012, including the Group 2 Megastar and the Group 2 Black Top at The Gardens.

He Knows Uno, trained by Michael Patterson in the NSW Coast town of Iluka, took home the Stayer of the Year award. He Knows Uno competed in nine group races in 2012, with his highlight coming when he defeated a stellar field that included the champion Miata to win the Group 1 Brisbane Gold Cup.

In other major awards to be announced on the night, former long serving Coonamble Greyhound Racing Club secretary Tony Finlay was awarded the Allen Wheeler Medal for lifetime achievement.

Finlay, who sadly passed away last year, held the secretary role at the Coonamble club for 30 years and was the driving force behind the iconic Coonamble Carnival.

For the second year in a row, Andy Lord won the Trainer of the Year title.

Despite relocating to Gunning midway through 2012, Lord still enjoyed another successful year with his talented team right across the state.

It would not be an awards night without Miata taking home some silverware and the champion greyhound was not left out, winning the Run of the Year award for her brilliant debut where she broke the 720m record set by Chinatown Lad in 2008.

The full list of award winners were:

  • Betfair 2012 NSW Greyhound of the Year – Oaks Road
  • Allen Wheeler Medal – Tony Finlay (Coonamble)
  • 2012 Greyhound Recorder Trainer of the Year – Andy Lord (Gunning)
  • 2012 Club of the Year – GBOTA
  • 2012 Volunteer of the Year – John Corrigan (Grafton)
  • 2012 Virbac Animal Health Young Person of the Year – Dimity Maher ()
  • 2012 Betfair Media Coverage of the Year – The Daily Examiner (Grafton)
  • 2012 Run of the Year – Miata (Association Cup heat, Wentworth Park)
  • 2012 Sprinter of the Year – Bye Bye Bucks
  • 2012 Stayer of the Year – He Knows Uno
  • 2012 Sire of the Year – Bit Chili
  • 2012 Brood Bitch of the Year – Meredith Grey
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