Hector To Hit Harrison-Dawson Rivals For Six

A horror run of box draws has continued for Hector Fawley as he takes aim at a prized Group 1 sprint title in Thursday night's heats of the Harrison-Dawson (515m) at Sandown Park.

Regarded as Australia's number one middle distance greyhound, Hector Fawley will have to overcome box six for the third time in succession in the last of four heats.

However, it takes more than a green vest to stop the powerhouse December '20 son of Bernardo and Rolanda Hooch.

After an awe-inspiring last-to-first victory in The Sandgroper (520m) at Cannington, Hector Fawley returned to home soil for a flying last-start victory in the ANZAC Appeal Cup (515m) at Sandown, recording a new PB of 29.24.

Trainer Lisa Cockerell rates those two 500m performances up with the very best of her home-bred superstar's 22 from 56 career.

"Absolutely," she said. "His second in the Melbourne Cup heat was awesome, and winning the Hume Cup was amazing, but The Sandgroper was something else.

"It was a hand-picked field of Group-performed dogs at the top of their game.

"I'm still wondering how he did it!"

A bird's eye view of HECTOR FAWLEY taking out The Sandgroper. pic.twitter.com/JrrDZ1vcM0

— Greyhounds WA (@greyhounds_wa) April 18, 2024

Cockerell and husband Ian have become accustomed to tough draws in their quest to add a Group 1 sprint trophy to Hector Fawley's middle-distance Group 1 Hume Cup triumph.

He had box eight when nosed out in a Melbourne Cup heat, while he drew five in both heat and semi-final of the Australian Cup.

Hector Fawley shares Harrison-Dawson heat favouritism at $3.10 with resurgent 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Yachi Bale (box 3).

"He makes his own luck, but you wonder how often he can keep doing it, especially in fields like this," Cockerell said.

Cockerell isn't feeling any pressure to secure a Group 1 sprint to boost Hector Fawley's already imposing stud credentials, adding that retirement isn't on the radar.

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"It (a Group 1 win) would obviously look good on his resume, but he's shown what he can do in sprint races," Cockerell said.

"Honestly, he doesn't have anything left to prove to us.

"We've had so many queries about him going to stud, we think with the amount of interest he's going to have a good stud career when the time comes.

"You're a long time retired and he can be a really naughty dog when he doesn't go to the track, so in his mind he needs to keep racing.

"We'll just let him tell us when he's had enough."

Cockerell has another Harrison-Dawson contender with a great zest for racing in remarkable veteran Jye's Jet, which has drawn box eight in the opening heat.

Lining up for start 122, Jye's Jet is a $101 outsider in a deep run-off, taking on series heavyweights Afire and Big Energy.

Despite his advancing years – he'll turn five in August – the son of Fernando Bale and Shockwave boasts two wins and a second from his last four starts.

"I think he's got zero chance of qualifying in that race, but Ian says he's like a fine wine, he keeps getting better with age," Lisa laughed.