By Jordan Gerrans
The Snow clan have not experienced a feeling like this for the best part of two decades.
Back in 2002 and 2003, the Snows enjoyed a golden run with greyhounds such as Happy Chappy and Whoops A Daisy, winning features such as the Vince Curry Maiden series and the rich Ipswich Auction race, as well as being contenders in many others.
While the kennel – led by trainer Ned and his daughter Tanya – have had some good dogs in the years since, they have not quite reached those heights again.
That was all until the prized litter of Out Of Range and Aussie Diamond came along.
The eight race dogs from the litter that have made it to the track have all won races.
But, it is the four boys, who are the stars of the show in the eyes of the Snows.
Pocket Money, Come on Aussie, Shipwreck and Oh Oh Range have lifted the Snows to being regularly competitive in black-type racing around the country.
The four boys will be on show on Thursday night as Oh Oh Range and Pocket Money line-up in the Group 3 Gold Cup Final, before the other two contest the Group 1 Gold Bullion.
“It has been a huge ride and we have not been on a ride like this for some time,” Tanya said.
“It was around the same year that Happy Chappy and Whoops A Daisy both went well as Dad travelled most of Australia with Happy Chappy.”
Ned is the trainer by name but Tanya is also hands on with the day-to-day operations of the team of dogs.
The litter has amassed an outstanding $550,035 in career stakes, boasting a winning percentage of just over 23.
Those figures could be lifted again by Thursday evening with $375,000 on offer for the winner of the Bullion while $100,000 will go the way of the champion of the Gold Cup over the staying journey of 710 metres.
Ned has been around the industry for much of his life and says it is clearly the best litter he has ever been involved with.
“They are an excellent litter, the four boys,” Ned said.
“That goes to show you how good they are when you look at all the prize money.
“To have the one litter going so well, I have not seen it done before with the four dogs.
“It is exciting to think how really good they are.
“It proved how good they were when we went down south, Pocket Money and Shipwreck earned their way down there.”
Shipwreck has led the way of the four in regards to prize money, earning over $200,000, with victories coming in the Listed QGOLD Summer Sprint and the Group 3 Vince Curry Memorial series Final, among others.
Looking back on the journey with the litter, Ned knew from Shipwreck’s first trial that the fawn dog would be something special.
While they have been outstanding on the track, the litter are also favourites around the kennel, according to Tanya.
“From the get-go, he litter has just been awesome,” Tanya said.
“It is really rare to have four dogs like this from the same litter.
“They are just beautiful litter, they are so happy and friendly dogs, that is what everyone loves about them the most.
“They are all big babies, really.”
It has been around two decades since former kennel stars Happy Chappy and Whoops A Daisy were running around race tracks.
And, while that is a long time between the kennel boasting a top-line chaser, Tanya says her father never lost faith in his methods.