Unticked Box Could Lead To $500,000 Windfall

It's the paperwork debacle that could lead to Palawa King seizing a lucrative $500,000 payday in Saturday night's Ladbrokes The 715 at The Gardens.

Owned by Forbes veteran Errol Hughes, Palawa King heads into the world's richest staying race trying to give premier trainer Jack Smith a second victory in the race, following Miss Ezmae's heroics in the inaugural staging last year.

FIELDS AND FORM THE GARDENS SATURDAY NIGHT

But as Hughes details, in the case of Palawa King, winner at 12 of his 30 career starts, it was all so close to a case of what never was.

"He's only here because I forgot to tick a box," Hughes said.

"It's a long story but the short of it was that after I dropped the brood (Maximum Dos) to the vet to get mated I got a call to say that I hadn't renewed my breeders' licence.

"I was racing around trying to get it sorted but in the end it all just got too hard and as she needed to be served I leased her over to Jack and Maree so she could.

"But then because the Orson Allen straw I had for her wasn't in their name that couldn't be used so I just said to Jack ‘bugger it, use your dog'."

That dog of course is the great Feral Franky which is making monstrous waves at stud.

The mating produced just the two pups, Palawa King and Palawa Queen, of which Hughes, 71, sold the latter for a significant sum earlier this year.

And with Palawa King already closing in on $100,000 in earnings, a win on Saturday night would see a further $250,000 heading into Hughes' coffers.

"Whatever the result I'll still be driving around next week in my old Falcon with my banged up trailer on the back," Hughes said.

"I've been in racing since I was 14 and I'm 71 now so I've seen it all. You need a lot of luck but yes it would be my biggest win … by far!

"I was just going to stay at home and watch it on my phone but my son has asked me to head over for a BBQ so we'll do that.

"It's exciting, yes and I knew very early on he was a special dog. Which is why I asked Jack to take him on."

How's this for a win… ?

Watch Palawa King (4) walk out of the boxes in the final @ladbrokescomau 715 heat…. and still win, in the quickest time of the night – 41.59!

Full Results: https://t.co/TVTGDGEGj3#thedogs #the715 pic.twitter.com/eYSr27S52a

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) April 28, 2023

For Jack Smith, Palawa King's upward rise continues the insatiable run the Forbes mentor has enjoyed in recent years, having prepared greyhounds the ilk of Feral Franky, Jungle Deuce, Miss Ezmae, Brad Hill Billy and Little Digger.

This time last year, Smith and wife Maree created headlines when Miss Ezmae won the inaugural The 715 but not before a set of dramatic events.

On the way from Forbes to Newcastle for the race, Maree's car broke down at Sandy Hollow, still two hours from her destination.

Had it not been for central coast resident Jesse Heinz passing by and coming to Smith's rescue, Miss Ezmae would have failed to take her place in the showpiece event.

"We've got the car booked in for a service on Monday," Smith said tongue in cheek.

"But I shouldn't joke about it after what happened last year. I'll be at Dubbo racing on Saturday night so I'll be happier when I hear Maree is at the track."

Palawa King takes his place in the finale from box one following a devastating 41.59 heat romp scoring by an ever widening 8 ¼ lengths.

And while a risk at box rise, Smith is confident the prodigious talent is set to run the race of his blossoming career in front of what will be a bumper Newcastle crowd.

"He's been tearing up the ground here at home all week – that's the Feral (Franky) in him," Smith said.

"He just thrives on work. Right from the start he's shown us he was going to be a stayer but I've just said to Errol we'd be patient and play the slow game with him and it'd pay off in the long run.

"He needed to learn how to race in those sprint races and some of his efforts have been outstanding in those.

"I'm still not sure how good he is – he could be a superstar stayer. If he's not too far back in the final and he gets his chance they'll know he's there.

"His preparation has been perfect."

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Ladbrokes The 715

(The Gardens, Saturday night)

1. Palawa King $3.30
2. Zipping Orlando $3.90
3. On The Off $31.00
4. Punter's Bandit $3.50
5. Nangar Rocket $8.50
6. Zipping Whiskey $6.50
7. Wheel And Go $17.00
8. Play Nice $51.00
9. You Know Tree $34.00
10. Silver Luck $16.00