Black Caleb
Inductee Hall of Fame 2023
Black dog, Whelped December 1998, (Malawi’s Prince – Diamond Lillie), Owner/Trainer Allan Clark (Burnie)
The magnificent Coastal sprinter Black Caleb, which won the 2001 Hobart Thousand at his final race start, when merely three years old, now enters our Greyhound Hall of Fame. Bred, owned and trained by Allan Clark at his West Moorville Road property at Burnie, Caleb was whelped to the December 1998 mating of star Victorian sire Malawi’s Prince, and the unraced but beautifully bred Walkabout Sid bitch Diamond Lillie. From an otherwise modest litter, Black Caleb was one of the benchmark sprinters of the new millennium, winning multiple features from his 50 starts that yielded 29 wins and only 4 unplaced runs.
Allan John Clark was born at Ouse on 22 February 1950, and always had a Racing interest. In his early twenties, Allan bought his first chaser and winner, named Stephies Lad. Both Reg Ivory and George Mason did train a couple for Allan, but he branched out in the greyhound game to become most successful in all its facets.
Allan started working at the Hydro when only 14, and amongst other things, worked in share farming at Smithton in the far northwest , before establishing several highly successful Conveyor Belting businesses both in Tassie and on the Mainland. His brother Gary Clark played a significant part in Allan’s five-decade journey in greyhounds, and in more recent times one of his five children, Daniel, has likewise taken a very keen interest.
Pre-Black Caleb, Allan had some outstanding dogs. His mighty bitch Caitlyn Fox won 28 from 46 starts in 1996-97, at one stage winning 10 top grades on the trot. Her victories included a Breeders Classic, Northwest Distance Championship, Media Cup and Damsels Dash. Star bitch Proper Lass was trained for Allan by Russel Watts and won a whopping 43 from 79, which included two Damsel Dashes, a Park Tavern and Silver Trophy. She was also 3rd in Latest Lad’s Hobart Thousand.
Post-Black Caleb, Philia won 19 with 16 placings in 2004-5, whilst his enigmatic sister Ebony Esprit, which Allan raced in partnership with Nicole Howard, not only won 12 races but ran a Track Record 29.59 at Mowbray in April 2006. Also in 2006, Allan purchased Leerize from Victoria, which had won 5 out of 15. Allan, and towards career end, Nicole Howard, added another 27 victories, mainly at the elite level, which saw him crowned the 2007 Greyhound of the Year.
The powerful Luke’s A Missile not only won a Tasmanian Derby and M.A.Morgan from his 21 wins in 2009-10 but also smashed the long standing 580 metre Devonport Track Record to 32.86, which was never broken. Allan trained Brad Hill Billy for his first 19 starts yielding 6 victories. At his last start in Tasmania Billy staged a barnstorming finish to snatch victory in the 2015 Launceston Cup. After this, his owners sent him to N.S.W. where he was to star at the highest level, and by career end, his 94 starts had amassed over $286,000 from 35 wins and 37 placings.
Black Caleb’s career commenced as a 20-month-old, in consistent but modest fashion with three Juvenile thirds, the debut being at Devonport on 11 August 2000. He announced himself at start 4 when bolting in a Devonport Juvenile by 10 ½ length win over Cool Commando. Then he made it a hattrick with strong Juvenile victories at Hobart, and then White City. Allan then stepped Caleb up a notch, with a crack at the 2000 renewal of the Johnson Puppy. He cleared out to score by 4 lengths in his Heat from box 5, leaving behind a future Devonport Cup winner in Collica. An early check from box 8 ended his chance in the Final, but he was brave in defeat running a 2-length 2nd to fellow Hall of Famer Stylish Doctor. After a rare blemish when flattened at Hobart, Black Caleb thrashed Haviton Smile, and then Bustin’ Loose in his Heat and Semi Final of the 2000 Devonport Breeders Classic. The rich Final eluded him once more after a most checkered passage, running 3rd to star chasers Stylish Doctor and Lucky Pitstop.
The famous Gold Collar now beckoned at White City. The glamour pup of that time in Galaxy Star led all the way at fives on to comfortably hold out Black Caleb in the Heat. In a fabulous Final, Black Caleb was badly checked early from box 6, but showed star quality in working home for a brave 3rd to the hot favourite Galaxy Star and Benny’s Hope. That made three minor placings in age Classic Finals, but his time was near. His next four starts included a 2nd, then Grade 5 successes in smart time at The Royal Showgrounds in Hobart and at White City.
On 19 January 2001 Black Caleb produced a clear career peak performance to date, when he blitzed his Heat of the 2001 Media Cup by 12 lengths in a quick best of day 25.72. 10 days on, he again ran a best of night 31.26 in a Launceston Grade 4. He returned to Devonport just 5 days later and thrashed the outstanding chaser Elle’s Supremo by 11 lengths in the 2001 Media Cup Final. His blinding 25.47 for the 452 metres now placed him right up there with Tasmania’s finest.
An unlucky 6th and 3rd were followed by a tilt at the 2001 Easter Plate in Hobart. Settling 3rd from the cherry, he overpowered Supa United in his Heat in a brilliant 26.07. Early strife in the Final saw him wind up a brave 2nd, , failing by only ¾ length to reel in the top sprinter Whywoe. On 23 April 2001, Black Caleb made his play on the prestigious 2001 Illingworth Classic at White City. Taking the lead into the back straight, Black Caleb raced away from the smart Supa Sonic in his Heat, to score by 4 ½ lengths in a best of night 30.72 for the 522 metres. Despite a prime box one draw and starting an odds-on favourite, yet another biggie was to elude him, when a brave ¾ length 2nd to the classy Lucky Pitstop which had gained a start as the first reserve. This frustratingly made it one win and five placings from six Finals, but his best was still ahead.
Caleb was a class act all tracks but was near on unbeatable at Devonport. His next four runs included three runaway wins in Invitation class at the Coastal venue, and in scintillating best of night times. Allan headed south on 7 June 2001 for the Silver Trophy. Again, he left a starry lot in his wake running 26.27 for the 457 metres in his Heat. But again, it was Final exasperation when a bad midrace check saw him wind up 4th to Stylish Outlaw in the one that counted most.
Between 21 June and 13 September 2001 Black Caleb raced 9 times in Invitation company for 4 wins and 5 placings, behind top shelf sprinters like Wingarren, Rusticus and Stylish Outlaw. To this point in time, Caleb was a star but had more to achieve before a “champion” tag could be attached. He would have just 9 more starts between 17 September and 27 December before the “unthinkable” happened. Each one of those starts was to be a victory, and in each one he raised the bar to a lofty level, where he was indeed a champion. The first two of those were emphatic Invitation wins at White City and Devonport.
On October 9, and chasing 8 straight Devonport wins, he made a play for the 2001 Devonport Cup. His 5 ½ length Heat win from box 5 was a in a near best of day 25.94. In a magnificent version of the great race, Black Caleb put his former Finals nightmares on the back burner. Making it 9 straight at the ’Port , he overcame box three and an interrupted run from fifth midrace, to just overpower two of his great protagonists in Stylish Doctor and Lucky Pitstop in a stirring head by a head finish. The great dog backed this up with three best of night Invitations, firstly at White City then twice at Devonport. The 11 December win there would be his last visit to Devonport, meaning he won his last 11 in a row at the Coastal track. A wonderful achievement!
At Hobart on 20 December 2001, Allan fronted the champ up in a Heat of 2001 Hobart Thousand. This was the first year of Group One status for the famous race, and a high-class contingent of Interstate and Tassie stars came chasing glory in eight outstanding heats, with only the winners going through. Black Caleb was in the first of those Group 1 Heats and was simply breathtaking from box 2. After settling 2nd, he powered right away from Graeme Bate’s star Victorian High Fire to score by 6 ¾ lengths in 26.11, and at 4/9 favourite. The fastest Heat winner was J.Hayley’s newly crowned 2001 Melbourne Cup winner Classic Capri, which posted a best of night 25.88. Bate’s top notch Victorian chaser Bitability Bale , along with Russell Watts’s mighty local Family First also made it to the richest Final every run in the Apple Isle.
Black Caleb drew a most difficult box 6 in the Final and was sent out a 7/1 chance. The Victorian champion Classic Capri drew the preferred pink box and was a raging twos on favourite. Hollywood could not have scripted a more exciting Final. The brilliant speedster Bitability Bale led clearly, with Black Caleb and Classic Capri the main pursuers. Turning for home, Classic Capri loomed wide to join the lead, with Caleb railing hard to third. Just when the Victorian star bitch was being hailed the winner, Black Caleb found as only true champions can, and ran her down by a neck, with Family First cutting down Bitability Bale for third. Group One glory and the 2001 Hobart Thousand was Black Caleb’s. In the 21 renewals of our greatest race since that night, only four more Tasmanian chasers have been able to win.
Tragically, this was Black Caleb’s finale on a racetrack. In preparation for a tilt at the upcoming Launceston Cup, the mighty animal broke his hock in a trial at White City. His racing career ended have won his last nine starts, with the highest accolade at his last of 50 race appearances. These 50 starts yielded 29 victories, 7 seconds, and 10 thirds, meaning he was unplaced on only four occasions. Most great dogs see a gradual decline late in their careers, but Black Caleb saved his best for last, and at merely three years of age, one wonders what else he may have achieved.
Like most Tasmanian sires, Black Caleb’s Stud opportunities were somewhat limited, but he still proved more than useful. Amongst his most talented offspring were the afore mentioned pair of Philia (19 wins) and Ebony Esprit (12), Posh Image (17), Callamac Blaze (16), Kid Caleb (13), Tea Tree Bandit (13), Dinkum Aussie (12) and Grey Gaze (10).
Black Caleb was a mighty beast, and a credit to Allan Clark. It’s no surprise he was crowned the 2000 – 2001 Tasmanian Greyhound of the Year. So well earned, he now enters the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame.
By Greg Fahey and Brennan Ryan