Sundstrom Eyes Classic Catch In Puppy Final

NOWRA Puppy Classic finalist Queen Linda is one of the greyhounds responsible for boosting 83-year-old David Sundstrom's spirits.

Jeff Collerson24 April 2024

QUEEN Linda is one of the greyhounds responsible for boosting 83-year-old David Sundstrom's spirits every morning, and on Saturday night she will be pursuing a $40,000 winner's cheque when she contests the Group 2 Ladbrokes Nowra Puppy Classic (520m).

Because Queen Linda lacks early speed Sundstrom concedes she will need a clear run throughout to win.

But the result matters little to Sundstrom, who has been training greyhounds since 1958, and who was involved with the 1960 Paws Of Thunder (then known as the NSW St Leger) winner Constant Raider.

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In recent years Sundstrom and his wife Susan have enjoyed consistent success with several greyhounds carrying the Nordic prefix, a nod to David's Swedish heritage.

In 2012, they finished second in this very race with Here's Hayley.

Queen Linda (right) will exit box 4 in the Nowra Puppy Classic Final

“Reason I remember Constant Raider's big win so clearly was because he was trained by a friend of mine, Byron Mercer, and I backed the dog when he won at 33/1 ($34)," Sundstrom said.

“In those days I used to assist a lot of the leading Sydney trainers, including Les Harper.

“There's no doubt greyhounds are good for your health, they keep you going.

“Some days when I don't feel so good, I walk down to the kennels and am greeted by the dogs my wife Susan and I train, all wagging their tails, and I somehow feel a lot better again.

“Queen Linda was a lucky acquisition.

“She was owned by Greg Hore, usually the lure driver at Goulburn, but under the rules, she could not race on that track whenever Greg was driving.

Poco Rico was a very impressive heat winner of the $40,000-to-the-winner series

“So when I expressed an interest in her Greg said I could buy her so he put a figure on her and she joined our kennel.

“I think Queen Linda is a genuine 600m bitch so the 520m of the Puppy Classic is probably a bit short for her.

“But on heat times there is only about a half-length between three or four dogs for early pace so if they jam up and Queen Linda finds a clear run she will get to the line strongly.

“Queen Linda ran down Minnie Finn's Both Bowers Ace to win her Puppy Classic heat in 29.68 and she is capable of getting down to 29.60 in the final.

“And for some reason, she seems to like the Nowra track.”