Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame

Inductee Hall of Fame December 2017

Black dog, (Collision – Everlong Bale), whelped June 6 2011, owned by Robyn Johnson and Sharon Sutton (now Jones), trained by Ted Medhurst

Buckle Up Wes , like many a champion, commenced his racing life rather inauspiciously, but after 52 starts which netted 30 wins, he not only became the highest all time Stake money earner by a Tasmanian greyhound, but the 17 ^th highest Nationally, accruing an astounding $551,965.

Wes was bred, reared and part broken in by Gary and Robyn Johnson at their Leith property, between Devonport and Ulverstone on Tassie’s North West Coast. After purchasing a share in one ill-fated, “red collared” pup from a different litter, Sharyn Sutton (now Jones), took up Robyn’s offer of a share in the red collared pup in the next yard. Good decision……….Buckle Up Wes! Showing great early potential, Gary Johnson decided to send Wes south to good friend, associate and Tasmania’s best mentor in Ted Medhurst. Buckle Up Wes spent his entire career in the hands of the master Mangalore trainer, and he took them all on one “ hell of a journey”.

Another of this Collision – Everlong Bale litter, namely Buckle Up Mason, also had a stellar career for the Johnsons. He was a tough and honest Group quality sprinter, that raced predominantly in Victoria, winning 25 of his 112 starts, with 43 placings, which earned him a tidy $136,140.

It’s curious to think that both Wes, as a 23 month old, and Anthony Bullock’s best chaser Hellyeah Bolt (30 wins), made their racetrack debuts in the same 461 metre Hobart Juvenile, on 2 May 2013. Even more amazing, they both found trouble, and each finished unplaced behind Action Bolt.

After starts 2, 3 and 4, one and all realized there was a budding champ come to play. His initial Devonport 452 metre win was in a staggering 25.50 best of the day from box 8. Two days later he posted an exceptional 25.91 at Hobart, but eclipsed that a week later, with a near Track Record 25.77 in his Grade 5 Heat of the G.O.T.B.A. from the blue box. After finding strife and running third to 2013 G.O.Y. She’s All Class in that Final, he ventured north for his first crack at the Launceston 515 metres; in none other than a Heat of the 2013 Tasmanian Derby! He led and scored in his Heat from the cherry, running a breathtaking 29.77, with seven lengths to spare over Part Time Pete. Despite a back strait check, Buckle Up Wes led most of the way in the 2013 Tasmanian Derby Final , and defeated Teddy Tom Boy by 3 1/2 lengths in another smart 29.90; his first of many feature victories at start 7.

His next 8 starts progressed Buckle Up Wes quickly into open class. In four more wins and three seconds, Wes won a Heat of the 2013 Nelson Cup, before a 6 ¾ length Heat win of the National Sprint for 2013. After a slow start from box 7 in the State Final, he wound up a creditable 2^nd , 1 ½ lengths in arrears of She’s All Class.

Ted Medhurst was keen to test the budding champ against Mainland opposition, and on 14 September 2013, the pair flew to Sydney for a Wentworth Park Grade 5. In a blistering Interstate debut, he put away Romantic Affair by some 5 ¾ lengths, and posted a sterling 29.82 for the 520 metres. His budding reputation followed him to N.S.W. and he started a $2.20 favourite. This immediate Mainland success saw Buckle Up Wes compete as much away from home as he did locally, for the remainder of his career.

Wes ventured back home for the 2013 St Leger at Hobart on September 26. Powering straight to the lead he held off his great rival Hellyeah Bolt, and scored by 1 ½ lengths in a blistering 25.78. Battek Boss was a further 6 lengths back in third. Next, was a crack at a Melbourne Cup Prelude at Sandown, a track he was never to love, and after bombing the start he only finished 7^th. Undeterred, Ted flew him back to the Harbour City for a crack at Group One in the 2013 Vic Peters Classic at Wenty. As a $2.40 favourite, he bounced out second from the pink box, before crushing King Cobber by 4 ¾ lengths in a smart 29.93 for the 520 metres. He ran at $1.70 favourite in his Semi Final, but box six was a bridge too far and he wound up 4^th to Evil Punk.

2014 Australian Cup

Returning home, Wes ran a scintillating 25.79 in an Invitation blitz over the smart Party Monster, before overcoming strife in the Wally Lake Memorial and finishing a creditable 2^nd to Launceston Cup winner Varcoe. The Group One Hobart Thousand beckoned, but after dodging traffic in his class filled Heat, he wound up 4^th behind the eventual Final winner for 2013 in Paw Licking. Buckle Up Wes made amends a week later in blitzing a star studded field in theBob Brown Consolational Final of the Hobart Thousand. He pinged out from box two, and shook off the early challenger Black Rip, to defeat that dog by a mere 7 ¼ lengths in 25.87, on the night Paw Licking established a new track record of 25.64 in the Thousand Final.

A shock head defeat to Pedro’s Runaway at Hobart, was followed by an amazing 29.37, 13 ¾ length demolition of Miss Kiss at Launceston, before Buckle Up Wes took on the 2014 Devonport Cup. An uncustomary tardy start in his Heat put was to end those aspirations, and he finished in third possie behind prolific winner Jeff The Tipster. Still chasing those elusive Group Ones, Ted Medhurst once more headed to Sydney for the 2014 Paws Of Thunder. This great chaser was immaculate in his Heat, thrashing Gradence by 3 ¾ lengths in a slick 29.65, when 29.50 was the night’s quickest. In a star filled Final, Wes bravely chased the lead pair throughout, and wound up 3 ^rd at $4.50 third favourite, behind Iona Seven in a quick 29.56. On his way back to Van Dieman’s Land, Medhurst solo trialled the champ at The Meadows in Melbourne. He ran a brilliant 29.76, and this move would turn out an act of genius a little further down the track!

Meanwhile, the 2014 Launceston Cup beckoned. On February 4, he exited box 4 in his Heat and in streeting Fast Turtle by 11 lengths, Wes ran a fabulous 495 1757 2959 best of night at a prohibitive $1.20 favourite. The very best race on each Tasmanian track was never to be for this amazing chaser however, and his Semi Final 3^rd to great nemesis Hellyeah Bolt could not get him into the Final. As was the case in Hobart, he monstered the 2014 Launceston Cup Consolation Final, thrashing Fighting Fang by 9 ¾ lengths, and posting the quickest run by any Tasmanian chaser of 29.33, when the Final later in the night stopped the clock at 29.69, some 5 ½ lengths slower!

2014 Launceston Cup Consolation

Wes was now 2 years and 8 months of age, and his best to this stage, was about to be totally superseded. He was at the point of graduating from champion to superstar! On 22 February 2014, Wes contested a Heat of the prestigious Australian Cup at The Meadows. Proving the worth of his previous solo trial there, the mighty chaser jumped second from box six, before powering away late to defeat National Lane in a smart 29.98. One week later, his hitherto Group One drought disappeared. In a fabulous field, and from a difficult box seven, the pride of Tasmania, began like a rocket on rails, and never looked like losing. At $7.60 in the betting, Buckle up Wes completely owned the 2014 Australian Cup, beating the outstanding Keybow by 1 ¾ lengths, with 5 ¼ lengths to Dyna Nalin in third. The time was a blistering 29.74 and first prize was $250,000??, the highest ever by a Tassie chaser. What a dog!