Prolific Northern Rivers Winning Sprinter Retired

OUTSTANDING Northern Rivers sprinter Painted Picture has been forced into retirement after being injured at Lismore on Tuesday night.

Mark Wilkes owns and trained the star son of Fernando Bale and Amy Lyndan.

“As a result of a race incident on Tuesday at Lismore where Painted Picture ruptured the tarsal bones (hock joint) his racing career is over,” said Wilkes.

“He gets operated on Thursday and will need a pin or a pin and plate in the joint depending on what they see when they operate.

“You get more lows than highs in greyhound racing and with Painted Picture I was fortunate enough to enjoy several highs.”

Painted Picture started 64 times for 27 wins and 27 placings earning $110,000 in stakes.

He was a class act from the day he started racing, winning the Eric Thomson Maiden Final at Albion Park before going on to claim the Christmas Stocking there.

His crowning glory for Wilkes was last year's Grafton Sprinters Cup.

He was also third in a Casino Cup and a finalist in the G2 Queensland Derby and G3 Ipswich Cup.

Painted Picture is from a fabulous litter which also includes Fernando Blaster (21 wins, $157,000).

“I picked him out as a pup based entirely on his brindle colour which I felt was dominant in the litter and it worked out great,” said Mark.

“He's got a home here for life.”