Hill and Sultana claim back-to-back Straight Of Origins for NSW

By Pat McLeod

It may have seemed a pretty straight forward assignment, but both trainer Darren Sultana and ‘celebrity’ owner Terry Hill breathed a huge sigh of relief when their highly fancied speedster Shall Not won on Sunday.

In doing so, the dog claimed the $40,000-to-the-winner Straight Of Origin Final over 366 metres at Capalaba on Sunday afternoon.

“The extra expectation on this dog meant more pressure big time,” Hill said.

Hill was fresh from his coaching duties for NSW in their losing Greyhound Origin Series campaign at Albion Park on Thursday night.

“Coming up from NSW and being the $1.40 favourite, I felt the pressure," he said. 

“Although everybody was saying ‘He's going to win. He's going to win.’ You still have to do it.

“It is a dog race and there are seven other dogs.”

Although not quite as animated as excitable rugby league great Hill, Sultana’s sentiments were the same after the two-length win over Tony Brett’s Panama Canal, with Lose Your Cool (trained by Jeff Crawford) third.

“When everybody says the dog will win it does make it harder, because anything can happen in a dog race,” Sultana said.

“He probably had the right box (box one), but whether he would be able to pull it off was another thing.

“But, he did, so it was good.”

That exact winning feeling is not new to this pair. They won the same race last year with Mr. America.

But, this year the expectation was great, but so was the form of Shall Not.

The Barcia Bale – Hillary chaser had won 10-‘straight’ at Richmond, before debuting at Capalaba on June 4 with a two-and-three-quarter-lengths win over Panama Canal.

So, the black flyer went into Sunday’s Origin-flavoured encounter with 11 wins in a row.

“He's a special dog. He just keeps winning and you can't ask for anything more than that,” Sultana said.

Sultana praised the Origin concept, which pits four of Queensland’s best straight trackers against four from NSW.

“It is a good concept, which is probably easy for me to say because I have got a good straight track dog, but there are a lot of good dogs who don't go around in the circle and this gives them a big race to aim for," he said. 

“I think it is a good idea.”

Hill’s praise was much thicker.

“Queensland racing, wow, how good is it,” he said from the victory podium.

“And, I don’t say that just because I won.

“I felt and said the same when I was beaten last Thursday at Albion Park, in the Greyhound Origin Series.

“I have to tell you, nobody is doing it better than Queensland.

“The people involved are absolute professionals.

“It is an honour to come here today, to what I believe is the richest straight track race in the world. $40,000 to the winner. I will be able to buy pizza tonight.”

Capalaba track manager Erin Cameron said the Straight Of Origin was ‘an absolute winner’.

“This race just gets bigger and better,” Cameron said.

“Today it was a great race, a great crowd and weather wise a spectacular day.

“This is a concept that has really hit a chord with the greyhound fraternity. What really helps also is having people like Terry Hill involved. He has just been fantastic.

“Terry is not only a famous rugby league player, but also a very successful greyhound owner.

“When he comes to our track you could not ask more of someone. He not only promotes the race, but is just so generous with his time with everyone.”

Of course the final word should go to Hill.

“The Origin flavour to this race means there will always be some good banter,” Hill said.

“We may have lost last Thursday night, but I got my revenge today. NSW are back.”