One of Australia’s favourite sprinters, Ernie Bung Arrow, has made his long-awaited return to the track and will attack a heat of the Group 1 Macro Meats Adelaide Cup this Thursday night – in an attempt to go back-to-back.

Ernie was able to captivate both traditional and non-traditional greyhound fans during the Adelaide Cup series last year as he and trainer Ken Gill became household names.

Gill says that the excitement of having him back is palpable and there was even metropolitan media at his run a couple of Wednesday’s ago at Angle Park.

“When he turned up to the track two Wednesday’s ago the crowd was bigger than normal and even the Adelaide Advertiser were there to do a story,” Gill said.

“I have already been contacted by journalists in Adelaide, New South Wales and Victoria about him, it’s really exciting.”

Ernie’s rise to prominence was swift and his demise through injury just as fast last year as he finished a disappointing eighth in the SKY Racing Topgun. However, Gill believes his Topgun experience last year has served the greyhound well.

“He was too young last year and it all happened very quickly. He was only a pup when he won the Adelaide Cup and got a little overexcited when he went to The Meadows.

“He was with Kel Greenough for a while but we brought him back for the National Sprint Championship heats and unfortunately he was injured during that series.”

The popular greyhound suffered a fractured wrist which left him on the sidelines for some seven months and Gill says it was a tough time.

“He knew he was injured around the kennels, we were only able to put him on the walking machine.

“He is a greyhound that absolutely loves racing and is always pulling me around the track when we’re there, so it was tough for him to be out.”

Although a little disappointing in his return run last week at Angle Park over the 388m he still won and the Lewison trainer believes that he can forgiven for his performance.

“Interestingly, he doesn’t seem to like box one and he got bumped around a little bit. He was able to push through and win which was a good sign but I expect a better performance from him this week.”

The son of Lochinvar Marlow and Slipper’s tonic still boasts the very impressive career record of 20 wins and one second placing from 22 career starts, having amassed $167,000 in prize money

Ernie Bung Arrow has drawn box eight  – the box he won both the heat and final of the Adelaide Cup from last year – in heat six (race eight) and will be one of the favourites to progress to the final.

If Ernie happens to win through, the whole state of South Australia will get behind their champion in what promises to be a massive Adelaide Cup final.

Also, Gill mentioned that if everything goes to plan, his charge will attack the world’s richest race – the TAB Melbourne Cup – in November.

There are seven heats of the Adelaide Cup and a number of Victorian greyhounds will make the journey across the border. View the fields here

[divider] [/divider] WATCH: Ernie Bung Arrow wins the 2013 Triple M Adelaide Cup
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