Cup Looms For Record Breaker Salad Dodger

FOR the first few months Salad Dodger joined Anthony Azzopardi's Rowsley kennels in Victoria his new trainer admits he “hated the dog”.

“He would not stop barking,” said Anthony. “It was a month or two of that and I was about to drive him back to Coonamble to his owner Aiden Lee.

“But, I upped his work and it seemed to settle him overnight. It was an amazing transformation.”

That transformation of the son of Azzopardi's G1 Melbourne Cup winner Whiskey Riot-Winsome Sandy has since seen him win 13 races and earn $89,000.

On Wednesday night, Salad Dodge flew the lids and was never headed eclipsing Quinlan Bale's 450m track record running 24.48.

And, it has now set him up for Friday week's heats of the Group 2 Traralgon Cup.

Azzopardi and the Lee family, Aiden, his dad Damien and brother Jade, have been mates for years.

?? NEW TRACK RECORD ??

Three-time Group placegetter SALAD DODGER has broken the Traralgon 450-metre track record.

QUINLAN BALE (24.547 seconds) set the previous 450-metre track record on December 9.#GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/A2MVoqm1kw

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) January 11, 2023

“Jade worked for me when I was back in Sydney and I've sent some dogs to Damien along the way to have some fun with,” said Anthony.

Salad Dodger is due a change of Group luck after being three times placed at that level.

Azzopardi says every month he has been surprised by the improvement in Salad Dodger.

“He is just like his father Whiskey Riot,” he said. “As he gets older and more mature, he keeps getting better and better.

“And, there is no better chaser in my kennel than Salad Dodger.

“He's one of the best chasers I've ever had.

“And, now after last night, he is a record breaker.”

Salad Dodger has been second in the G2 Bendigo Cup, third in the G3 SA Derby and 2nd in the G3 Warragul St Leger.

“He downed a pretty hot field at Traralgon,” said Anthony. “I doubt there will be much better for the heats of the Cup next week.”

His sire, Whiskey Riot, continues to fire at stud.

He is also the sire of high class young stayer Lakeview Patsy, the very fast Shot Of Red, recent SA feature race winner Whiskey Soda and the very fast WA galloper Let's Riot.

“We are getting plenty of inquiries from broodbitch owners after seeing he can sire Group class sprinters and Group class stayers,” said Anthony.