CHARLIE HAS US THINKING ABOUT SEQUENCES
Ian Fortune
Tuono Charlie certainly has people talking for all the right reasons.
The stunningly fast and powerful son of Good News and Farronrory Bonny is already a classic winner, has won twenty-one times in his career and looks virtually unbeatable over six bends at present but the real talking point surrounding the Sharon Hunt trained superstar is his current winning sequence.
On Saturday night, at Limerick, Charlie posted his fifteenth victory in a row (Read Peter Farrell’s report) in the semi-finals of the Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire. And it got us thinking where can he go from here.
Very soon his connections could find themselves with a choice to make; pursue the sequence or take their chances in the Derby. There seems no doubt Tuono Charlie has the pace to compete against the very best over four bends but maintaining his winning sequence through a Derby campaign would be a big ask.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before that choice has to be made, Tuono Charlie has Saturday’s Irish Cambridgeshire decider at Limerick to concentrate on. Were he to win, it would be sixteen wins on the bounce.
PERUVIAN STYLE WAS A SPECIAL GREYHOUND
Where does that sit in terms of the longest sequences in Irish greyhound racing?
Many of us are more than aware of the sequences of Ballyregan Bob, Westpark Mustard and Ravage Again across the Irish Sea but we don’t tend to pay as much attention to our own records in Ireland.
At present the mark to aim at is that of the great Peruvian Style. The son of Kilbelin Style and Russian Boots built a sequence of twenty straight wins which saw him capture the Harp Lager Stakes at Dundalk, the Waterford Glass Stakes at Waterford and the Shelbourne Leger at Shelbourne in 1975 before returning after a winter break to win the Callanan Cup at Harold’s Cross. And the Truboard Gold Cup at Waterford.
He was an incredible dog, blessed with the most sensational early speed. During this sequence, much like Tuono Charlie, he broke a number of track records. He claimed his twentieth straight win on November 3rd, 1976 in a heat of the Federation Stakes And McWilliam Trophy over 525 yards at Galway.
At the time, it was a European record, matching the feat of the aforementioned Westpark Mustard. A week later, in the final, he was sent off a 1-6 favourite to make it 21 but a missed break saw him finish only second.
He had been under in the week up to the race but his handler and subsequent Hall of Fame trainer Tony Fahy felt he was fit enough to take his place in the decider. After his defeat he was promptly retired to stud but will always be remembered as one of the true greats.
THE LATE LATE SHOW ERA
Very few have ever threatened the record of Peruvian Style, although a couple did get close at the start of this century.
In early 2001, Late Late Show began a sequence that saw him win sixteen times on the bounce or Paul Hennessy and Pat Kenny.
This was made all the more remarkable given the fact that he won the Tote Gold Cup, Easter Cup and the Euro Off Track Open 600 (Shelbourne Open 600) during the sequence.
His run of wins ended when he fluffed his lines in the semi-final of the Champion Stakes. Left completely in traps, he stormed home to fail by only a neck to pick up Wish Kid. Late Late Show was a true racing machine.
MEGA REALLY DID DELIGHT
We didn’t have to wait long for the next contender to come along.
Starting in late 2001, Mega Delight built a sequence of fifteen straight wins for the legendary Seamus Graham, picking up the Irish Cesarewitch at Mullingar, the Evelyn 750 and Corn Cuchulainn at Harold’s Cross along the way.
Her run of wins ended in May 2002 when she was sent off the 1-3 favourite in the final of the Barry Tea 750 at Cork. A tardy start and early traffic ended her hopes of continuing her winning run with the victory going to the immensely strong Metric Tiger.
Of course, Mega Delight would go on to become one of the greatest brood bitches of all time, producing dual English Derby winner Westmead Hawk and his half-brother Westmead Lord, who also won an English Derby.
PANTHER AND PHANTER
Since the days of Late Late Show and Mega Delight, none have gone into the teens although Milldean Panther and Killahan Phanter went close.
Incredibly, both built a sequence from their debut successes. Milldean Panther won his first twelve career starts, while Killahan Phanter won eleven on the spin to start his career.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT
So as Tuono Charlie bids to win sixteen on the bounce on Saturday night, it’s hard not to look forward.
Where will the sequence end? Who knows but, the advice for the moment is, enjoy every second of it.
To think that Late Late Show and Mega Delight were strutting their stuff over twenty years ago is quite sobering. It genuinely only feels like yesterday. So, savour every second with Tuono Charlie. Dogs like this don’t come around very often and before we know it he will be gone. He is a special greyhound that deserves all the plaudits being thrown his way.