Denise Georgina Fysh
Inductee hall of Fame 2025
Denise Georgina Fysh enters the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame, primarily as one of the finest advocates for greyhound racing, firstly as a committed Chairman of the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club, for her dedication to our sport’s betterment at a State level, and significantly as a powerful and dedicated representative for Tasmania at the National level.
Her story will concentrate almost solely on her massive legacy to greyhound racing through her devoted and unwavering management and leadership.
Denise was born in Hobart on 3 November 1957 to parents Vivian and Gladys Kelly. She had five brothers in Graeme, Brian, Lester, Rodney and Noel, and grew up in Goodwood. It was when she married Tony Fysh in 1985, she relocated to Bridport. A marine mechanic Tony took over the Ampol Service Station, with Denise keeping the books. Denise was sadly no stranger to personal tragedy in her life, and it was a year after moving back to Hobart that Tony died unexpectedly from a blood clot in April 1991. Similarly, Denise would care for her partner of eleven years, Laurie Hills, who passed away from MND in 2013. Highly intelligent, Denise studied part time at UTAS, achieving high standards in Sociology and Psychology, and was one unit away from a Law Degree, before abandoning that cause for personal reasons.
So why greyhounds? Her brother Brian had some involvement in the 1980’s, part-owning the ill-fated nine-time winning stayer Arkle’s Fancy, trained by Hall of Famer David Crosswell. Meeting Laurie Hills and becoming partners in life further fueled the spark. He trained a small team of greyhounds, training 99 winners from around 800 starters, from the late eighties to 2011. After moving to Elmsleigh Road in Derwent Park in late 1991, Denise became good friends with next door neighbor Loretta McShane, who trained a team of chasers along with then husband Craig Luttrell. Denise went from admiring the dogs, to helping with the dogs, to owning and training her own. And very successfully too!
Between 2000 and 2011, Denise trained 648 runners for 134 winners, 106 seconds and 90 thirds. This winning strike rate of 21% is very good, and it included some very smart chasers. Main Drive was the most prolific with 18 wins, and was 2nd in the 2001 Maiden Thousand and 3rd in the 2002 Easter Cup. Having two runners in that Easter Cup Final, Denise won that very Final as well with Nimble Miss (7 wins). Splitting her pair in 2nd spot was Hall of Fame champion Stylish Doctor. Denellie Star (34 starts 14-9-1) was a real speedster. Her best wins were the 2002 Easter Purse and Country Oaks. Her G.O.T.B.A. Final 2nd that year was behind Launceston Cup winner My Boy Speedy. Perfect Socks (12) was another beauty. Apart from her 2010 Easter Cup win, she was a Devonport Cup and Tasmanian Oaks finalist. The lightly raced Smart Torque (10) won his Gold Cup Heat in 2003 and led, before winding up a great 2nd to Stylish Doctor in the Final. Smart Deal (7) and Chick Mobile (9) round out a most successful team.
It was Denise Fysh’s work for greyhound racing off the track that is the true reason she has now been elevated to Hall of Fame status. This began in 2005 when she joined to Hobart Greyhound Racing Club Committee ,which was the penultimate year of racing at the Royal Showgrounds. During that year Chairman Damian Cooper stood down from the Committee and Denise stepped into the role as H.G.R.C. Chairman in February 2005. Yes Chairman! There was no room for political correctness with this lady.
Denise embraced the role with great vigor. She was a true advocate for the greyhound itself and was a most sincere lover of the code. She worked tirelessly during her tenure, and throughout her thirteen plus years at the helm, was considered by most as the backbone of the Club. Albeit she was the most dynamic advocate for the H.G.R.C., be it within her own Committee, at Greyhound Reference Meetings, or at National Conferences, Denise categorically considered the “greater good” when it came to all Tasmanian, and more widely Australian greyhound racing.
Her first major task was the transition of greyhound racing from the Royal Showgrounds (where racing had been since November 1980) to Elwick Park, virtually just across the Brooker Highway. This included negotiations with Tote Tasmania and others on the logistics of track, timing, kennels, offices, parking etc. It would now also see greyhound racing co-habiting with the Tasmanian Racing Club for thoroughbreds, the traditional owners of Elwick, as well as the Tasmanian Pacing Club. All three would be under the watch of Tote Tasmania (Tasracing since 1 January 2009), Tasmania’s top administrative body, also co-habiting at the same venue for all.
Denise and her Committee must be highly commended for what appeared to be a seemingly flawless transition of southern greyhound racing. The robust work behind the scenes is so often taken for granted. The first meeting at the new venue on 2 November 2006 was unblemished, as was Riddler Jake’s Gold Cup win on 7 December 2006. The Group One Hobart Thousand Heats and Final followed, and attracted star chasers from near and far. Before a magnificent crowd on 21 December 2006, the Victorian star Superman overpowered the 50/1 Larry Tanner trained Tasmanian Major Bear to claim the spoils. Interstate trainers, and all the locals were wrapped with the Elwick track, which long since been regarded as Australia’s finest one bend track.
Speaking of the Hobart Thousand, there were several times during her stewardship, that pressure was brought to bear for Tasmania’s only Group One feature of any code, be downgraded to less prizemoney and less status. Whilst not alone in the fight, Denise’s advocacy for Australia’s most historic and famous race, was loud and prolonged, and to this day it maintains its pre-eminent mantle.
The protagonists for a Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame had received a lukewarm reception for quite some time before Denise Fysh became the H.G.R.C Chairman. When the plan was put to Denise and her committee in 2006, it was embraced with enthusiasm. An game plan was launched for the Hobart Thousand Dinner to be combined with Hall of Fame inductees, for a gala night each December Saturday night after the Heats. It was also negotiated for the Hobart Thousand box draw to be conducted by the Stewards, live at the dinner.
2007 was the initial Hobart Thousand/Hall of Fame Dinner which saw a magnificent turnout, and the first of an unbroken line of such nights ever since. The emotion charged inductions that night were Arthur Morgan (truly the godfather of our sport), Jack Nelson (founder of White City), the great trainer and character Reg Ivory, alongside three of our finest dogs in Ophir Doll, Mystery Bridge and True Vintage. Huge thanks must go to Denise and others for giving us the showcase “off track event” in Tasmanian greyhound racing.
Denise was ever conscious of the difficulty all Clubs had in maintaining a financial balance. She worked so well alongside our other “rock” of many years in Peter Hayes, and together with many other highly supportive committee members, kept the H.G.R.C. in a fiscally responsible position. Her dedication can be demonstrated best with her decision to often do unpaid office work during leave time for others, just to save dollars for our Club.
Denise was highly involved in greyhound administration at a National level, and played a major role on the Australian Greyhound Racing Association Board (AGRA) alongside fellow Tasmanian Richard Stamford. She was also a founding member when that body became Greyhound Clubs Australia (GCA) representing all 60 Australian clubs. Quoting her longtime H.G.R.C. Deputy and confidant Graeme Barber “In 2012 Denise was extremely instrumental in bringing that National series to Hobart.” With famous stayer MIATA winning the National Distance and gun Victorian chaser and sire FABREGAS winning the National Sprint, the series was an unprecedented success. With overseas coverage and high betting turnovers, national administrators one and all heaped praise on our Committee for such a wonderful showcase event.
Denise Fysh’s work at a national level can best be summed up by National Hall of Famer Marg Long from Victoria, and former GCA ‘s CEO, David Simonette of Western Australia.
Marg Long wrote “ I am so pleased that Denise is being honoured by induction into the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame. She is so deserving of this recognition. Denise was not only a beautiful person, but an excellent contributor to meetings held by A.G.R.A. now G.C.A.
She was truly passionate about greyhound racing and always fought hard for the part that Tasmania could play on the National calendar. The pride in her State was on full display when the Nationals were held in Tasmania, where she assured that all attendees had a memorable time. Denise is remembered by all those in the industry as a beautiful, passionate and kind person, one is whose company you would be happy to share.”
David Simonette added “ One in a million, doesn’t seem quite enough to do Denise justice. She was a fierce advocate for greyhound racing and her beloved Tasmania. I got to know her well when we sat around the AGRA board table for quite a few years back in the early 2000’s. It was here I got to witness firsthand how to get what you wanted, but do so in such a way that nobody else felt that they had lost.
Denise was fair-minded, considerate of someone else’s opposing opinion, and above anything deep respected. She fought tough for what she believed in, and it was her authentic and genuine approach that often won the day. All done singlehandedly by a woman in a male dominated domain. Denise was surely ahead of her time. Tasmanians owe her an enormous debt of gratitude for what she was able to accomplish for her State. Her legacy is here for all to see, not only in Tassie but at a National level, where Denise’s common sense and pragmatic approach to solving any problem would be so welcomed today.
Introduction to the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame is the highest honour, and one that Denise so richly deserves. “
When Denise Fysh was diagnosed with cancer in in 2018, she was still Chairman of the H.G.R.G. and remained as such until her saddest of passings on 3 April 2019. Deputy Chair Katrina Gregory took over as acting Chairman until the AGM of that year, with Stephen Lockley then becoming Chairman.
So influential were Denise’s deeds for greyhounds, that both here and on the national stage the Hobart Club, and AGRA created the Denise Fysh Award. Ours is presented on the night of the Hall of Fame Dinner, and GCA’s at their National Dinner and Awards night. Some fine and influential names have won this honour, in what is now its seventh year.
Few people could have achieved so much, nor worked so selflessly for greyhound racing in all areas, as did Denise Fysh. The extremely humble Denise Georgina Fysh would never have bestowed the Hall of Fame induction honour upon herself, but she had to be wrong about one thing!
By Greg Fahey and Brennan Ryan