The close-knit Gippsland greyhound fraternity has mourned the passing of highly respected Sale trainer Robert Wynd.

Wynd, 73, passed away earlier this month. A gathering to celebrate his life was held at the Sale GRC last week.

His wife, Anne, provided the following tribute to her loved husband’s life in greyhound racing.

“Robert started walking greyhounds for Jack Mitchell, who owned a pet shop in Sale, in 1957.

“He used to wag school to drag the lure at the old Dawson Street track. He used to get 10 shillings a week and he’d get the ‘cuts’ from his schoolteacher for doing it.”

“He used to wag school to drag the lure at the old Dawson Street track.”

Anne added when the Sale club relocated to the Showgrounds circuit, Robert ran the trials and did the track maintenance after working at the local SSW food store.

A truck driver for much of his working life, Wynd also served on the Sale GRC committee.

“To get the new track going, we – along with ‘Pud’ Jones, Artie Davidson and John Norden – used to have raffles and working bees to raise the money,” Anne said.

“Robert was also a top local footballer in his days playing at Sale, where he won three premierships.

“He also worked at a timber yard in Sale, and in his later years owned a lawn mowing business.”

Wynd was an astute trainer, who only trained a few greyhounds at a time.

He was associated with Audiro, a staying star of the mid-1970s, and then Zyrtec and Plastered in the mid-2000s.

Zyrtec was runner-up in the 2005 Australian Cup and a finalist in the 2006 Warragul Cup, while Plastered finished second in the 2005 Maturity Classic.

Wynd also trained greyhounds the calibre of Born To Keep, Audiro Blue, Killy Ale and Jack Mitchell – named in honour of the man who gave him a start in the sport when he was only eight years old.