Queensland racing industry mourns loss of Nick Tzouvelis

By Jordan Gerrans

Just hours after his beloved mentor’s passing, Queensland trainer Tom Tzouvelis sent his late father Nick out in style with a handful of victories.

It was Nick who first introduced Tom to the greyhound caper when they were based in Victoria before the clan relocated north to the Sunshine State in 1987.

In the years since, Tom has built and developed his own kennel into one of the leading operations in Queensland.

That was headlined on Thursday of last week as the Tzouvelis camp boasted a glut of Group 1 finalists at Albion Park. 

Tom also had a runner in Saturday’s prestigious Vince Curry Memorial Final at Ipswich – with Tsu'tey running third – before his respected father passed away at 4:30am on Sunday morning.  

While Tom was front and centre being the trainer by name, Nick was always working quietly behind the scenes for the Tzouvelis team and would often act as the ‘travelling foreman’ for his son’s chasers.

Nick trained the team of dogs in Victoria and Queensland in the early days before Tom eventually took over the reins.  

While devastated to lose his father, Tom was able to celebrate his life on Sunday with five winners at Capalaba.

It was a fitting send off for a prominent figure of the code in Queensland.

“Nick was a highly respected member of the Queensland greyhound racing industry and wider community within the code,” Racing Queensland’s Senior Racing Manager for Greyhounds Brenton Scott said.

“Nick instigated his son Tom’s passion for greyhound racing and as we have seen in recent years, Tom has developed to be one of the leading trainers within our state.

“As Tom’s kennel and success has grown over the years, Nick has always worked behind the scenes in the kennel to keep things ticking along and often would travel around the state and interstate when required with dogs.

“The entire racing community is sad to hear of Nick’s passing and extend our condolences to his son Tom and the extended family."

The kennel took six dogs to the grass track of Capalaba on Sunday and walked away with five winners and a second.

Tom’s winners were: Simply Express, I'm Old School, Fancy Gift, Caramel Queen and Scripted with Gone Walkabout running second earlier in the program.

Premier Queensland greyhound race caller and prominent Brisbane form analyst John ‘Bunny’ Brasch touched on the sad passing of Nick during the card from Capalaba.

“Well, what a day out for Tommy Tzouvelis and team,” Brasch said as Scripted claimed the fifth victory for the kennel.

When Simply Express won the opener, he also referenced the popular former participant.

“Vale to Nick Tzouvelis and to Tom and the family, our sincere condolences,” Brasch said.

“This one’s for you Nick. I think Nick gave it a bit of a kick along there.”

The passing has left the Tzouvelis clan devastated.

Nick was born in Greece before relocating to Australia. He had long battled with cancer in recent years before his death.

“Of course he will be sadly missed by his family,” Tom told The Greyhound Recorder.

“I owe him everything. We are all struggling.”

Like Nick did for him, Tom has in recent years mentored emerging young trainer Jedda Cutlack and she has blossomed within the conditioning ranks.

Tom was forced to settle for third in the Vince Curry decider but he was still smiling as his protégé Cutlack won the Group 2 event with the promising Duffman.

The Ipswich victory was arguably the greatest of Cutlack’s young career so far.

Through Tom and now into Cutlack’s training career, Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse says Nick left his imprint on the sport in the state.

“He was a really lovely man who has left a lasting legacy in greyhound racing in Queensland,” Gatehouse said.

“He enjoyed coming to the races right up until his passing.”

Like Nick, Australian Greyhound Racing Association Hall of Fame member Paul Cauchi relocated to Queensland from a southern state to further his training career.

Cauchi was the leading trainer in New South Wales for many years through the 1970s and 80s, as well as preparing winners of the Group 1 Association Cup and Group 1 National Sprint Championship, on top of numerous other notable feature races.

Cauchi recalls Nick and a young Tom stopping in at his place as they moved to Queensland back in 1987 and they have been close ever since.

“He was a person that was good for the dog game,” Cauchi said of Nick. 

“We have been friends for all those years and whenever we would see each other at the races, I would always sit him with him for a while.

“They are practically like family, Tom and him, I have known them since they moved up to Queensland.

“He was a very nice man who would do you a favour if he could.”

Racing Queensland extends its condolences to the Tzouvelis family.