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  • Tuesday, 12 Jul, 2022,
  • by Peter Quilty

Match Race of the Millennium

Wow She’s Fast (Vic) versus She’s A Pearl (NSW).

The ‘Match Race of the Millennium’ between the ‘Million Dollar Babies’ could become reality.

Greyhound racing aficionados are salivating about the prospect – both dogs’ connections have warmed to the possibility, if not signalled their intentions – and now it’s up to the sport’s PR gurus to make it happen!

The Meadows in October has been mooted as the ideal venue and date given Wow She’s Fast and She’s A Pearl’s likely racing itineraries.

Undoubtedly – if it gets the ‘green light’ – it would be the greatest greyhound racing promotion in decades.

And you only need to peruse the superstars’ statistics to realise it wouldn’t be a gimmick.

Trained by ‘Team Greenough’, Wow She’s Fast ($1,057,870) has won 12 races from 17 starts while She’s A Pearl ($1,353,010), prepared by ‘Team Lord’, has won 22 races from 32 starts.

“I’d be happy to take her (She’s A Pearl) on in a match race. She (Wow She’s Fast) would be suited under those conditions.”

In brevity, these are their ‘big ticket’ wins: Wow She’s Fast (G1 Sapphire Crown and inaugural TAB Phoenix) and She’s A Pearl (G1 Golden Easter Egg and TAB Million Dollar Chase).

“I’d be happy to take her (She’s A Pearl) on in a match race,” Kel Greenough said. “She (Wow She’s Fast) would be suited under those conditions.

“But I just don’t think it will happen, as it’s not going to be easy to arrange… For instance, who would sponsor it?

“Obviously it’s a question of logistics, but we would certainly look at it if it became feasible.”

Meanwhile, Andy Lord has a ‘gung ho’ approach to the mouth-watering prospect.

“If Kel’s happy, then I’m happy to take it (the match race) on – if it all fits in and the timing is right.

“If I’m prepared to come down to Melbourne, it’s only fair that it’s at the track of my choice – The Meadows.

SHE’S A PEARL ‘sparkles’, getting the ‘chocolates’ in the Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park.

“It (The Meadows) wouldn’t worry me; it would be a good opportunity prior to the Phoenix.

“I’m keen on a crack at another Million Dollar Chase (September)… I could make a case for the Melbourne Cup (November), but I’d rather the Phoenix (December).”

Both speed sensations have been off the racing scene – for vastly different reasons.

Wow She’s Fast, which is entered for the G1 Maturity Classic heats at The Meadows on Saturday night, hasn’t started since claiming the G3 Bill Collins Speed Star at Sandown Park on May 26.

She’s A Pearl, which is eyeing the upcoming Southern Star at Goulburn, has had a hiatus since winning the Million Dollar Chase on May 7.

“My wife, Jacqui, and I went on a two-week holiday to America, staying at Las Vegas and Hawaii, just after Wow She’s Fast won the Speed Star,” Kel Greenough said.

“My daughter, Angie, and grandson, Brad, looked after the team while we were away but they didn’t race.

WATCH: Vic ‘wonder woman’ WOW SHE’S FAST (B4) sprouts ‘wings’ in the inaugural TAB Phoenix at The Meadows.

“Consequently, Wow She’s Fast lost a bit of fitness. I’ve had to gradually get her back up to the mark.

“She’s completed a couple of excellent trials. She broke the post-to-post track record at The Meadows, clocking 24.23sec on June 30, and followed up with a near-record 25.23sec hit-out over 460m at Warragul on July 6.”

Greenough added that the Maturity Classic series is a “nice event for her”.

“But it always comprises quality youngsters, so it’s a hard race to win.”

Meanwhile, Lord advised She’s A Pearl’s ‘intermission’ was due to her coming on season.

Pawnote: Incredibly, Greg Sprod of St Marys in NSW owns Wow She’s Fast and bred She’s A Pearl.

WATCH: NSW superstar SHE’S A PEARL (B4) joins the exclusive ‘million-dollar club’ claiming the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park.

Peter QuiltyPeter Quilty

Peter Quilty

Peter Quilty has more than three decades of experience as assistant editor of Victorian Greyhound Weekly. He was editor of GRV monthly magazine The Adviser (2001-09) and owner/publisher of Australian Greyhound Monthly. He also served on the selection panel for the inaugural GRV ‘Hall of Fame’ inductees and for several years was an adjudicator on the Victorian GOTY. He’s also published greyhound racing yearbooks and wrote the ‘Bold Trease’ video script.

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