Alan Tutt praying for a Cinderella story to mark final Canberra Cup greyhound race

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This was published 6 years ago

Alan Tutt praying for a Cinderella story to mark final Canberra Cup greyhound race

By Caden Helmers
Updated

It's shaping as the final Canberra Cup and the capital's own Cinderella story could make it one to remember for a family that revolves around the greyhound industry.

The Lesley Hannaford-trained Walkaway Bonnie is a 25-to-one long shot for what looms as the 38th and final edition of Canberra's premier greyhound race at the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club on Sunday.

Canberra breeder Alan Tutt with one of his retired greyhounds, La Pearl, who now lives on his couch.

Canberra breeder Alan Tutt with one of his retired greyhounds, La Pearl, who now lives on his couch.Credit: Rohan Thomson

Canberra greyhound breeder Alan Tutt is still coming to terms with the ACT government's plans to shut down greyhound racing given the club's unblemished record.

Countless Canberra families have been "feeling the pinch" and Tutt fears they won't know where to turn if the industry they grew up in is banned.

But that's exactly why they're all hoping Walkaway Bonnie is first past the post - the unlikely Cinderella story would provide a memory worth a lifetime.

Hannaford had tears in her eyes when she learned her dog would be in the showpiece event and a win would be the icing on the cake for the entire family.

"They're excited about being in the race, [they're] people that lived in Dickson for many, many years, training out of their backyard," Tutt said.

"[Leslie's son] Shayne, he's the lure driver at Canberra, he's another one that's been brought up in the greyhound industry. They moved to Bungendore just to have a bit more land out there to train some more dogs.

"[Leslie is] excited as because she's obviously very passionate about the club and the track, with the future being a bit gloomy, she had tears in her eyes of joy and she's excited for [Sunday].

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"I'm proud of them because they put a lot of effort into their dogs. They're part of our family, our racing family at Canberra."

The Canberra Greyhound club has been fighting for its life after Andrew Barr's government announced the industry would be banned by June 30 next year.

The greyhound industry has been fighting the proposed ban on social media, submitting 2500 letters of support in their favour to the ACT government.

But Tutt has all but resigned to the fact the ban will come into effect and he's preparing for a lengthy legal battle for the drama that has left club staff members in need of counselling.

"Running and racing them and holding a licence in the ACT, we don't know where we stand with all that," Tutt said.

"It's pretty frightening they can stop a social licence and someone's right to, in the society we live in these days, an opportunity to actually do what you like to do in life.

"The local trainers, the actual people in the Canberra community, they are feeling lost a bit, knowing there have been no incidents ever in the Canberra greyhound club, probably the safest track in Australia.

"Everyone does the right thing yet we feel like we've been basically victimised and criminalised."

Tutt is praying for the local long shot but believes South Australian trainer Tony Rasmussen's Striker Klinsman and Hukanui are the ones to watch.

CANBERRA CUP

Sunday: Canberra Cup final (530m) at Symonston, 7.34pm. First race at 5.05pm.

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