Fedex delivers

By Ben Hope
PEARCEDALE greyhound trainer Jason Thompson has earned his reputation as one of the best in the business after Fedex became his third dog in a row to race to victory in the group one Macro Meats Temlee at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Fedex ($6.10) managed the win in a tough 525-metre race in 30.06 seconds.
“It was a pretty rough race, and he had to work pretty hard to win,” Thompson said.
“He didn’t get in out in front at the start; he had to come from third or fourth to get to the lead.”
“High Earner was in the lead for most of it, in the last 20 metres Fedex joined him at the front. I think he only beat him by a half or quarter length.”
Fedex ran second in the race last year, behind another Thompson-trained dog, El Galo.
“Last year we won it with El Galo and Fedex was beaten by a neck,” Thompson said.
“It’s a selected field. You enter and hope you will be among the eight picked to go in the race. I’ve had a bit of luck with the dogs I’ve entered.”
Queenslander High Earner finished second with group one Hobart Thousand winner Prankster close behind in third.
Thompson’s El Galo also took last year’s Greyhound of the Year award and came runner-up this year, proving Thompson is a force to be reckoned with in Victorian greyhound racing.
“The Greyhound of the Year awards are sort of like the Brownlow Medal for the greyhound industry; it’s the night of nights,” Thompson said.
Fedex will now go on to race in the 525-metre $150,000 MTD Australian Cup this Saturday at The Meadows.
“After his win last Saturday, if he draws right he will hopefully make the finals,” Thompson said.
“You’re only as good as your last start, and his last start was a group one win.”
After earning $240,000 from a career with 57 starts the Moss Syndicate-owned Fedex will be ready for retirement in the next eight to 10 months.
“It would be great if he could get a couple more wins, then he will have well and truly done his job,” Thompson said.