The tyranny of distance won’t phase the UK-based ‘Blue Tick’ connections when Blue Tick Fern (Race 2, Box 6) makes her racetrack debut at Warragul tonight.
The ‘Blue Tick’ connections comprise of an eclectic group of 25 [people], you’ll hear their cheers some 17,000kms away if Blue Tick Fern is first past the post.
And the ‘Blue Tick’ boys won’t be missing the action – they’ll watch a Bet365 live stream of the race – even though the time differential is 11 hours, which means it’ll be around 8am in London when Blue Tick Fern is placed in the boxes.
Pearcedale’s Kelvyn Greenough is the registered owner and trainer of Blue Tick Fern, and how she’s found her way to his kennel is a fascinating story.
It all started when one of ‘Blue Tick’s’ group members, David Mitchell, contacted Sandown Greyhound Racing Club’s Mick Floyd and enquired about racing a greyhound in Australia.
Subsequently, Floyd approached Greenough and asked if he could assist and he duly obliged. Greenough then approached NSW breeder Tyrone Whittington, who had an eight-month-old Fernando Bale x Uno Arjo pup available, and as they say the rest is history.
The ‘Blue Tick’ group, who have a vested interest in Blue Tick Fern, are successful greyhound owners in the UK. But they are conscious of the huge prizemoney chasm between the two countries.
“They can’t believe the difference in stakes… So, they wanted to dip their toes in Australian waters and see if it’s viable,” Greenough said. “And now their excitement level is through the roof.”
