Staggered by win after 40 years

By David Nagel
IT’S taken more than 40 years of involvement in the sport of greyhound racing for Garry Selkrig to feel the prestige of winning a Group race, but that long wait was made worthwhile when Stagger won the Group 2 Warragul Cup last week.
The Devon Meadows trainer pocketed $40,000 for the win but it’s the sense of fulfilment and vindication of a lifetime in the game that he treasures the most from the win. “The pressures off, it’s all good mate,” Selkrig, 55, said two days after Stagger’s win. People ask me all the time what’s the biggest race I’ve won and now I can look them in the eye and say I’ve got the 2012 Warragul Cup. It’s quite exciting… it’s great to have a big cup in the house that has some prestige attached to it.”
Stagger’s win was in doubt the day before the race after Selkrig decided to take the dog he bred himself to Cranbourne vet, Des Fagan, for a pre-race check. The results weren’t good.
“Des told me his blood count was a bit high,” Selkrig said. “Which is not ideal.”
“I told him we’re running in the Warragul Cup tomorrow night so he gave the dog a needle. We went back the next morning and he gave him another needle and he improved after that. Des needs to take a bit of the credit for his win.”
Selkrig was brought up in Doveton where greyhound racing was very popular at the time. His mum and dad were involved in the sport and he walked greyhounds around the area for extra pocket money during his school years. His first trip to the Warragul track was as a 12-year-old so last week’s win has special meaning in more ways than one.
“Yeah, I really do appreciate it, I’ve trained heaps of winners but from now on, whenever I go back to Warragul, to know I’ve won the cup will feel pretty good,” he said.
Stagger’s win was his 15th win from 38 starts with 15 placings. Selkrig hopes the Warragul Cup victory will be the start of something special for the son of Primo Uno-Instructed First.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said.
“Obviously you need luck in anything in life but if we can have a bit with injuries, interference in races, luck in running then who knows what he might win.
“There’s a $50,000 bonus for greyhounds who win three country cups in the one year, he’s already got one so we’ll go down that line.”
For now, Selkrig will continue to educate his greyhounds on his acre and a quarter property at Devon Meadows and hope his recent run of success continues. Despite all the hard work, he does admit, it has been a bit easier getting out of bed lately.
“Yeah, there’s a bit of a spring in the step at the moment,” he said.
“It’s all good mate.”