Michael Brian Stringer
Inductee Hall of Fame 2024
Michael “Mick” Stringer has been involved in every aspect of our wonderful sport of greyhounds but will be remembered overwhelming as a truly elite trainer. Born in Hobart at the Calvary Hospital on 6 March 1951, he is the eldest child of Murray and Jean Stringer (nee Witzerman), with three siblings in Julie, Robbie and Jane. The family lived in the northern Hobart suburb of Chigwell, where Mick’s dad had a grocery store. Mick was educated at Chigwell Primary and Claremont High.
Sport played a huge role with Mick and brother Robbie growing up. Mick played cricket, but his love was football. He not only played senior footy with T.F.L. heavyweight Glenorchy, but won three premierships with top amateur club Claremont, and represented Tasmania at amateur level. Brother Robbie, starred with a Glenorchy team that won the State Final.
Mick Stringer’s father Murray had a couple of greyhounds when Mick was quite young, and part owned several handy thoroughbreds. Mick, like many greyhound folk of that period actually raced pigeons as a young teenager, but his first real involvement was helping a local mate Gary Page, with the walking of a nearby trainer’s dogs. That trainer was none other than our legendary Hall of Famer Bob Brown, from which Mick was to develop a lifelong association with both Bob and especially his son Chris, also a remarkably gifted man in our sport.
At seventeen, Mick purchased his first dog from another successful trainer in Gavin Whitney. This $40 purchase was Painted Black, which Mick backyard trained at home with quite some success. Mick’s first four years of work was in his father’s grocery store, after which he spent six months working for legendary greyhound and thoroughbred trainer Jack Green. Mick Stringer credits his time with “Jackie” as his greatest education in dogs. His meticulous routine of morning and night walks, using Rex Lord’s excellent straight track at Sandford, and the immaculate conditions of his kennels all were embedded in the future Stringer training regime. Likewise his detailed feed programme around quality beef, vegies (especially silver beet) and biscuits, showed Mick Stringer that shortcuts did not assist success.
Mick married Angela Shone in 1973, at which point he took a hiatus from greyhounds until 1986. Initially moving to Main Road Mangalore at that time, he has since lived in nearby locations of Cornelian Hill and Ballyhooly Road. Since 2004 he has lived in Witzermans Road, still in Mangalore. Mick Stringer was never one to be idle and became entrenched in many successful business ventures in his wider home area. From Fuel Agencies, to Earth Moving, School Bus runs and Service Stations, and his greatest love of all…. farming sheep and cattle. At one stage he was running 2500 sheep from the estate of Mount Baines at Colebrook.
PAINTED HILUX TAKES OUT THE 1991 LAUNCESTON CUP AT WHITE CITY
Mick dived back into greyhounds in 1986, buying Roy Nunn’s successful Justa Tiv for breeding purposes only. The ensuing May 1988 mating with Busy Vintage produced five outstanding offspring, and really launched Mick into a more serious path in greyhounds. Painted Hilux was a star. Winning 27 and placing in 23 more, he won his Semi and Final of the 1991 Launceston Cup. He won a 1990 Breeders Classic, made many other Finals, and won his Semi before finishing 4th in Bacchant’s Hobart Thousand. Tiv’s Girl, trained by Ted Medhurst won 17. Runner-up in a Gold Collar she also won her way into two Launceston Cups. The highly rated Painted Magic won 9 of 19 but succumbed to cancer, whilst Painted Madonna won 8. Whilst Painted Vintage only won twice in a short career, she would become one of Tasmania’s greatest brood bitches over six litters. Twice Brood Bitch of the Year, her line ran through Lunawana, Wooreddy, and Dennes Point, and is still dominating currently through the likes of Raiders Guide.
Mick only bred Painted Vintage’s initial litter to Winter Chief and enjoyed good success with the highly versatile Painted Mocca. His family and business ventures still took priority over greyhounds, and it would not be until 2005 that greyhounds actually became his prime business focus. Mick Stringer’s early involvement with Bob Brown, and especially Jack Green clearly influenced Mick’s training regime, particularly with quality feeding. But Mick’s sporting prowess certainly has been a major influence also. His routine is similar to how he played footy, with the emphasis on ROUTINE. Basically, his charges only trial at the track when necessary, and he prefers to free gallop twice weekly at the Brighton straight track. Very importantly, he gives his charges two quiet and easy days after a race. In three long term relationships, Mick has seven children, of whom son Matthew in his younger days, particularly loved assisting his father with the greyhounds.
Before singling out the best of a long line of Stringer stars, it’s highly relevant to review his success in so many of our most significant races.
At HOBART
Hobart Thousand 2008 Little Spaniard 1st and Topline Doovee 2nd, 2013 3rd Yappin’ Jack, 3rd 2007 Kyra Shiraz
Bob Brown Consolation 2010 Banger Harvey, 2022 Do It
Maiden Thousand 2011 Spiritual One
Easter Cup 2009 Monasito and 2nd Scrub O’Malley, 2012 New Recruit, 2018 Invictus Rapid
Easter Plate 2009 Buzzin, 2014 Underclass Hero
Young Star Classic 2008 Little Spaniard, 2009 Cradoc Park, 2012 Millie Minor
Tasmanian Laurels 2008 Topline Doovee, 2011 Millie Grace, 2022 Manila Flash, 2023 Black Dream
Vet’s Medley 2017 Le Baz
G.F Middle Distance Championship 2012 Back Page Lead, 2014 Topline Power, 2023 Big Opal Rocks
Silver Trophy 2008 Kyra Shiraz, 2009 Topline Doovee, 2010 Topline Doovee, 2024 Got Attitude
Dennis Collis Memorial 2017 Manila Dawn
Tasmania Gold Cup 2024 Bernie Burrow, 2nd 2021 Assassinate, 3rd 2007 Kyra Shiraz
Tasmania St. Leger 2nd 2022 Panel Damage, 3rd 2013 Battek Boss
At LAUNCESTON
Launceston Cup 1991 Painted Hilux, 3rd 2018 Hemsworth
Launceston Cup Consolation 2008 Kyra Shiraz, 2010 Topline Doovee
State Final National Distance 2014 Painted Dotty
State Final National Sprint 2012 2nd New Recruit and 3rd Bergermeister, 2017 3rd Manila Dawn, 2023 2nd Black Tsunami
Tasmanian Oaks 2007 Painted Shaza, 2023 Absolute Flyer, 2017 3rd Manila Dawn
Tasmanian Derby 1990 3rd Painted Hilux, 2009 3rd Buzzin
Minister’s Gift 2012 Bearville Phil, 2nd 2013 Club Foot
Illingworth Classic 2013 Yappin’ Jack, 2012 3rd New Recruit
Ray Foley Perpetual 2014 Painted Dotty, 2023 Big Opal Rocks
Launceston Distance Champ. 2017 Le Baz
Rising Stars 2018 Hemsworth
Winter Stakes 2023 Big Opal Rocks
At DEVONPORT
Devonport Cup 2011 2nd Banger Harvey, 2018 2nd Invictus Rapid
Angus Evans Consolation 2008 Kyra Shiraz, 2009 Topline Doovee, 2022 Do It, 2023 Volkanovski and 2nd Black Tsunami
Ivory Classic 2012 New Recruit
Johnson Juvenile Championship 2011 New Recruit, 2012 Captain Cosmic
Country Derby 2023 Black Tsunami
Devonport Distance Champ. 2018 Invictus Rapid, 2023 Big Opal Rocks (at Hobart)
Tas. Breeders Classic 1990 Painted Hilux, 2008 2nd Topline Doovee
INTERSTATE
Topline Doovee 2009 won Heat/Final Group 2 West Australian Oaks (at Cannington), she also won Heat and 4th Final of 2009 Wangaratta Cup
Magpie Lomar 2010 Won Heat and Final 600m Le Pines Funeral at The Meadows
Kyra Shiraz Won Heat, unplaced Group 2 Bendigo Gold Cup Final.
Back Page Lead Won 11 for Mick Stringer in Tasmania before moving to Sydney and placing in Group 1,2 and 3 staying features.
Michael Stringer’s most outstanding chasers is an exhaustive list, so only the extreme achievers will be detailed here. His earliest star Painted Hilux has been covered already.
LITTLE SPANIARD AND TOPLINE DOOVEE QUINELLA THE 2008 GROUP 1 HOBART THOUSAND
Since Mick Stringer’s near full time greyhound involvement since 2005, Topline Doovee won 31 from 56 starts with 9 placings and must rate number one. After winning 7 of her first 9, she was 2nd to Stylish Monty in a Breeders Final. At just 22 months of age, she won her Hobart Thousand Heat, before a desperately unlucky 2nd to her kennel mate Little Spaniard in that 2008 Final. Doovee won the Angus Evans Memorial at Devonport and made A Launceston Cup Final. Her crowning glory was her Heat and Final win in the Group Two West Australian Oaks at Cannington. She also won the Silver Trophy twice and won a Wangaratta Cup heat.
Little Spaniard claimed the greatest scalp of all, having captured the Group One Hobart Thousand at Elwick in 2008. Whilst not one of Stringer’s very best, he had impeccable manners and early speed, and remains the only Tasmanian owned, bred and trained chaser to capture our greatest race since Ralph The Mouth at the Showgrounds in 2005. Little Spaniard also won the 2008 Young Star Classic among his ten career wins.
TOPLINE DOOVEE TAKES OUT THE 2009 GROUP 2 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN OAKS FINAL
The Bill Witherden owned and bred Yappin’ Jack was a fabulous Stringer trained sprinter. A star throughout his short 34 start career, “Jack” won 19, with 6 2nds and a 3rd. He won the 2013 Illingworth Classic and was 3rd to Victorian superstars Paw Licking and Black Magic Opal in the 2013 Hobart Thousand. His final start at only 32 months was a courageous 4th in Are Ate’s 20145 Devonport Cup.
Karlene Cuthbertson’s New Recruit was a crack sprinter. Amid his 24 wins was the 2011 Johnson Puppy, Heat and Final of the 2012 Ivory Classic at Devonport, 2012 Easter Cup and 2012 Silver Trophy. He also ran 3rd in an Illingworth Classic and was 2nd to Rob Pines in the 2012 State Final of the National Sprint at Hobart.
Kyra Shiraz, a blue blooded Elite State – Mimi Shiraz bitch must rate barely below Topline Doovee. Her 20 wins and 17 placings from just 44 starts was full of brilliant credits. A Consolation Final winner of both the 2008 Lanceston and Devonport Cups, she also snared a Silver Trophy and G.O.T.B.A. Final at Hobart. She was 3rd to First Innings in a Gold Cup, and a grand 3rd to the Victorian Train A Journey in the Group One Hobart Thousand of 2007. She also won a Heat of the Group Two Bendigo Gold Cup.
Scrub O’Malley deserves a special mention. This slow beginning red brindle son of Trendy Leigh only raced 21 times for 11 wins and tragically died on track at Mowbray in only his 25th month. His powerful finishes on all three tracks were pointing to a great career and when stepped up to middle distance he was unbeaten in six starts, two each on all three tracks. What heights he may have reached will have to remain a matter for debate.
There are so many other Stringer chasers that won at the highest level. This includes Hemsworth (12 starts, 10 wins, 3rd 2018 Launceston Cup), Rybenbrook (12 starts for Mick – 11 wins), Painted Mocka (22 wins, including Sandown and Cranbourne) and Bergermeister (Elwick track record 461 metres, 25.71 in July 2011). Even adding Painted Dotty, Black Tsunami, Manila Flash, Magpie Lomar, Club Foot, Arugula, Painted Shaza, Monasito, Battek Boss, Do It and Underclass Hero fails to complete the list.
Mick Stringer had long been associated with various leading Mainland trainers. In 2016 Mick moved to Melbourne for 11 months with Brendan Pursell, to assume training duties for master trainer Robert Britton, who had bought a greyhound property in America. They trained upward of 100 winners during that period, including the freaky Fanta Bale’s Hume Cup win. Robert Britton was the leading trainer for that season.
Held in such regard, Mick Stringer has been given responsibility for many champions at carnival time in Tasmania. He housed Robert Britton’s Hobart Thousand winners in Prankster (2006) and Above All (2014). Similarly, Jason Thompson entrusted him with both Hooked On Scotch (2019) and Aussie Secret (2021). Jason Fletcher’s star Fantastic Spiral was under Mick Stringer’s care for the six-week leading up to his clean sweep of the 2016 Launceston Cup.
Michael Brian Stringer has had a five decades plus association with greyhounds racing. He has bred stars, trained a litany of greats for loyal owners, and reared top dogs such as Recall and Eagles Nest Egg for others he did not even train for. His numbers have always been modest, but the quality of his charges elite. Since 1988 in Tasmania alone, he’s had just on 3350 runners for an unprecedented strike rate of 29.2% winners, 16.8% seconds and 13.8% thirds. He has now so rightfully earned his place in the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame.
By Greg Fahey and Brennan Ryan