Cape Clear breeder/trainer Gary Peach has heaped praise on his four-year-old superstar Action Girl, who was recently retired after notching her 50^th career win at start number 84.

“Once she got to 46 wins, she was still racing so well, and the plan was to get to 50 wins and then retire her,” Peach said.

Reflecting on his trip to Healesville on February 4 for what turned out to be Action Girl’s final run, Peach said it was a day of mixed emotions.

“It was a happy day and a sad day… I was happy she retired but sad that she want going to race again because she loved to race and she brought us so much joy at the races.”

“But she is getting on in age and she did her job.”

Only a select few greyhounds get to 50 wins – while she won from every box at least three times – achievements not lost on Peach.

“Action Girl has always secretly been my favourite since they were pups. They’d push her around but she didn’t take a backward step.”

“I always tried to place her in the right grades to win, but she deserves all the credit.

“She just consistently gets it right when she boxes and had brilliant early speed.”

“She was free for all class everywhere racing against best dogs going around.”

Part of an exceptional Aston Dee Bee x Weeping Lass litter which also includes Silver Brute (57 wins), the recently retired Mobile Legend (2 x country cups), Struck Gold (19 wins) and Slick Lass (11 wins), Action Girl has long had a special place in Gary’s heart.

“You love them all and treat them the same but Action Girl has always secretly been my favourite since they were pups. They’d push her around but she didn’t take a backward step.”

“She’s friendly, but she certainly has an arrogance about her.”

An ear brander in the Ballarat region since the nineties, Gary said that the greyhound community were extremely happy for his recent successes training the likes of Action Girl, Silver Brute and Mr. Beets.

Action Girl is now slowly making the transition from professional racer to family pet.

“She’ll keep doing light work as I need to give her time to wind down.”

“She’ll still go out in our 50 metre exercise yards every day, and it will take her a month or so to get used to not racing anymore.”

While Action Girl is destined for the breeding barn, Peach has a decision to make on which sire to go to when she does come on-season.

“I’ve narrowed it down to a couple, but I don’t want to give anything away just yet.

“Unfortunately we lost her mum (Weeping Lass) to cancer at age 10, but she had a good life and they can’t live forever,” he said.

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