This is a huge achievement knowing that never before had a greyhound racer made such a feat. Because of this, most punters expect Ring the Bell to participate in this year’s grandest greyhound racing event which will be held on November, the Melbourne Cup.
It was his 89th race, and despite his seemingly old age, being a four-year-old racer still proved to be a huge advantage as it gave him enough experience and confidence when it comes to dusting his competitions in the race track.
Ring the Bell, who was listed at $2.6 odds reigned supreme during the 779 meter Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar race at Manukau. He won by three lengths against the favorite Dusty Gambler, who had $2.4 odds.
It was a huge upset for the crowd as the underdog defeated the favorite by a huge margin. Nonetheless, this hinted Ring the Bell’s potential to ace the upcoming Melbourne Cup, as well as the other upcoming races before this year’s major event.
The Silver Collar is one of New Zealand’s most prestigious greyhound races as winners get the chance to wear the solid silver collar, albeit momentarily. They are then photographed wearing it, somewhat kind of a badge of honor.
In fact, due to the silver collar’s value and high importance in the greyhound racing industry, it is locked inside a bank in Auckland all year round and is only presented to the public ever after the Silver Collar race. Luckily, for Ring the Bell, he went through this notable experience for the second time around.
Glenn Pask of Bunyip, who owns and has bred and reared the greyhound, had high hopes for Ring the Bell. Thanks to the series of highly-coordinated training sessions, he and his brother and fellow part-owner Grant Pask implemented on Ring the Bell, they won the contest.
However, this wasn’t an easy call for them as the four-year-old dog had been through a series of ups and down before the race started. He wasn’t at peak health a few weeks before the contest. Good thing that the team’s experience and knowledge in dealing in such situations helped Ring the Bell get back to racing form.
Ray Adcock, who was head of Ring the Bell’s training team also did a great job with him, said Pask, who still can’t believe that his greyhound won the big event. Adcock’s age is slowly taking a toll on him, knowing that he’s already 83-years-old. But despite this, he still managed to ensure that Ring the Bell gets back to fitness. Fortunately, it turned out as expected as he looks and performs at best, a few days before the race.
However, Ring the Bell’s victory at the Silver Collar isn’t at all surprising knowing that he also has champion-caliber brothers. Former stars Blazin Bomber and Bells are Ringin are Ring the Bell’s siblings, who also happen to have their fair share of victories in the previous races.
For sure, the level of training that his family went through has a huge effect on his recent victory. The Silver Collar race is Ring the Bell’s 36th win, which adds up to his long list of victories. However, this isn’t just about for the sake of accomplishment as he also went home with over$430,000 in prize money.
This is also a clear sign that higher-caliber races are in line for Ring the Bell in the next months, with the Melbourne Cup, being the likeliest ultimate stop for him.
Gerry O’Keeffe, the father-in-law of Pask, who had a short experience in training Ring the Bell, also paid tribute to his former star.
In a statement, he said that the greyhound is a legitimate warrior. He also added that he is proud of his decision to send Ring the Bell to New Zealand, as it proved to be a place for him to thrive and make a bigger name for himself.
O’Keefe ended his statement by saying that the extra distance in New Zealand races is a perfect fit for Ring the Bell’s racing style. This, according to numerous punters, is another reason why the Absolute Stunna dam dog has an easy time adapting to the race.
This will also serve as a staging ground for him to dominate the Greyhound Melbourne Cup this November.
Unfortunately, the road to victory wasn’t an easy and smooth ride for the greyhound as Dusty Gambler managed to go past him in the fall. Then again, this wasn’t a huge concern for Ring the Bell’s team because as what they say, the longer a race gets, the higher the chances of Ring the Bell dominating the race.
In fact, he’s regarded as one of the strongest greyhound races, making him a great candidate for this year’s Melbourne Cup title.
Specifically speaking, Ring the Bell can easily switch the tides once he goes beyond the 500-meter spot. His pace speeds up, and his agility goes beyond its normal tendency of rhythmic flows. It seems like he’s having a burst of adrenaline and energy once he finishes the first 500 meters.
But then again, Ring the Bell isn’t getting any young as he’s turning five-years-old in November. However, that’s also not much of a problem because the good thing here is that he can use his many experiences against his younger competitors.
The betting game hasn’t yet been finalized, but greyhound racing analysts expect Ring the Bell to be included in the top five favorite bets for this coming Melbourne Cup. You can keep up-to-date with the latest betting odds at greyhoundbetting.co.uk. For sure this year’s Greyhound Melbourne Cup race will be as thrilling as ever.
