Slick Splits’ brother – Magpie Hector – makes his Victorian debut tomorrow night at The Meadows in Race 7.
A winner of three races from just six starts, Magpie Hector heads south off the back of two sharp 29.60 runs over 520 metres at Wentworth Park.
“I’ve got an opinion of Hector, and I want to educate him around The Meadows in hope and preparation for the bigger races toward the end of the year,” trainer Jack Smith said.
Smith has trained some of the sport’s elite greyhounds, including staying star Palawa King, iron dog Jungle Deuce, and one of the most recognisable names in greyhound racing – Feral Franky, who he also stands at stud.
“He (Magpie Hector) is showing me signs that he can stay – he broke 12 seconds (run home) in his trial at The Meadows last week,” Smith said.
“You’d think I cloned Palawa King, because Hector’s box manners are terrible.”
Only six starts into his career, Magpie Hector looks likely to step up in distance in the future. But for now, he tackles the 525 metres from box 8.
“He’s not going to win too many 500 metre races, but when he takes off, he has this unbelievably fast second section and looks good in a field.”
Magpie Hector is a son of Feral Franky out of Foxy Bourbski – a litter brother to Maturity Classic winner Slick Splits. Some of the litter was advertised as pups for $6,000, and Smith was the only one to show interest, his owners selecting the pup that would become Magpie Hector.
When asked what drew him to the Feral Franky x Foxy Bourbski litter, Smith admitted his interest was sparked when he saw his own stud dog as the sire.
“I knew it was a nice line, and I look for females who have only had one or two litters — that way you’re generally getting a better price on the pups.”
Joining Smith and Magpie Hector on the trip from New South Wales is Flash On By, who lines up in Race 9 from box 4.