Emotions run high as Tzouvelis dominates Vince Curry Maiden semis

Cover photo: Just Greyhound Photos

By Wayne Heming

Leading trainer Tom Tzouvelis will battle his emotions as he prepares a record eight greyhounds from the same litter for the semi-finals of the prestigious Group 3 $112,500 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden (520m) at Ipswich on Saturday night.

The race – named in honour of legendary Brisbane race caller Vince Curry - was first run and won by Katie’s Lad, trained by Peter Coleman in 1984.

It has produced several outstanding greyhounds since, including Paul Felgate's Just the Best (1999), Mick Ivers' Captain Standby (1992) and Mick Abbott's Token Prince (1997).

Tom’s father and mentor, Nick Tzouvelis, himself an astute greyhound man, passed away the day after last year’s Vince Curry Memorial Maiden final at Ipswich, so it is an extremely difficult time for him and his family.

“I was only thinking the other day how fast the time had gone since Dad died,” said Tzouvelis.

“It will be pretty close to his anniversary when the 2025 Vince Curry final is run at Ipswich Showgrounds on February 1.”

Asked if his father, Nick, would be looking down on him with a big smile, Tom said: “Dad was always happy. He loved his racing. To him it didn’t matter if we won a maiden or a Group race, he just loved winning a race.”

Tzouvelis trained five of the seven Vince Curry Memorial heat winners at Ipswich last Saturday – Zipping Dalila (30.62s), Zipping Rove (31.02s) Zipping Marcel (30.76s), Zipping Vivid (30.88s) and Zipping Sweeny (30.58s).

His other heat runners from the talented Sh Avatar-Zipping Samara litter, Zipper Viper (30.90s) finished second while Zipping Kramer (31.51) was third in his heat.

Zipping Gatsby qualified as the fastest fifth in his heat with a time of 31.4s while Zipping Dante was the only dog from the litter born in May last year, to fail to qualify for the semi-finals.

“I’m not aware of that being done before from such a big litter,” said Tzouvelis who reported all his dogs had pulled up okay.

“I think there were 10 (pups) in the litter, but one got injured as a pup and didn’t make the trip up to us.”

Tzouvelis only took possession of the nine greyhounds on Melbourne Cup day last November after highly respected NSW breeders Martin and Fiona Hallinan contacted him and offered him the chance to train the entire litter, bred at their magnificent 200-acre Clergate stud property, west of Orange.

Understandably, Tzouvelis jumped at the chance given Hallinan is a Hall of Fame breeder whose stud has produced a record number feature and Group 1 winners during his 40-plus years in the industry.

“Marty has been a friend of the family for a long, long time but they normally race their dogs in Sydney and Melbourne,” said Tzouvelis.

“They decided they wanted to race some dogs up here (Brisbane) and called me and offered me the entire litter.

“I didn’t hesitate because the Hallinans are up there with the best breeders in the country.”

The litter is Zipping Samara’s second.

Her first produced the smart Zipping Kai who took out the Group 1 Hume Cup at the Meadows in November last year.

Tzouvelis is still learning all the characteristics of the greyhounds, but says they are all pretty even in ability.

“They are a very immature litter in the sense that they are very ‘puppyish’ and don’t turn two years old until the end of May,” he said

Tzouvelis admitted he was impressed by the performance of 7th heat winner Zipping Sweeny.

“Zipping Talia (semi-final four and box four) is probably the most improved from when we first got them and I am really happy with her,” said the trainer.

“But I liked the professionalism of Zipping Sweeny, the way he railed up and won his heat on a wet track.

“The rain had set in by the time his heat came around. I liked how he crossed from the eight box and railed through to take the lead in the back straight.

“It was his first start, but he looked like an old head on young shoulders.”

Tzouvelis will like Zipping Sweeny’s chances even more after he drew the luxury of jumping from the red box in the third semi-final which includes his litter brother Zipping Kramer (box five).