Young Victorian trainer Josh Formosa and his good mate Ben Peart are testimony that dreams can become reality after their greyhound Blue Kermaro won the 2024 Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Grand Final last night at Wentworth Park.
In February the pair decided to take a punt and pay $10,000 for a dog Josh had found for sale on the internet, which had had just two unplaced runs at the time on NSW regional tracks.
It is now not only the most shrew purchase they have made, but also the most beneficial time spent online, after, Blue Kermaro - a $19 outsider - took out the $1 million prize in the world’s richest greyhound event.
“I've been pretty confident all week, and I just wanted to see him step (at the start). He’s just a ripper the dog. You can't describe this feeling. It's just what you want. This is just what dreams are made of. This is just unreal,” 26-year-old Josh said.
“I’ve been saying it all week, and even driving here (from Geelong) today, I felt it ... I thought he could win and that’s why I didn't feel nervous, and obviously he didn't feel it either, and he was just too good. That's all it was.
“I don't even care about the money to be honest, because I just love winning these big races. It's my first big one, and it’s the biggest one on the calendar, ticked off.”
Well before the Grand Final, there was an indication that last night could be Josh’s night. He was one of the first of 10 contestants drawn out for a chance to win $100,000 in the Punt Like Paps on track competition.
With rugby league superstar and Greyhound Racing NSW ambassador Ryan Papenhuyzen officiating, to win $100,000 contestants had to kick a football 40m into a wheelie bin on the Wentworth Park track. Wind played havoc for the kickers and nobody was able to claim a prize, but less than two hours later, Josh would win 10 times that amount in 29.41s.
Blue Kermaro was able to lead early from box four, but West Australian Sunset Frazier surged to the front on the first turn.
The favourite, Victorian chaser Explicit, was slowly away and then checked on the first turn losing his chance.
Coming to the home turn Blue Kermaro hit the front but was being hotly pursued by local chance and second favourite Zipping Megatron.
But the bargain buy refused to surrender and held on for a ¾ length win with Sunset Frazier a further three lengths away in third.
“You know, we just want to see improvement in our dogs, and see them looked after, and we just wanted to get Smokey up to 600m and then all of a sudden he started running some good times and we thought, you know what, let’s sort of dare to dream. Let's just go for it,” Ben said.
“Josh is such a good trainer, he just gives him every chance. And the dog just loves racing up here. I might move up here. I love NSW racing. My missus will probably take most of it (the prizemoney) but whatever I'm left with, I might have a couple of weeks stay up here. It's so good, it's such a good atmosphere. Look at the crowd … it's just unbelievable.
“Of course the money is life changing, but when you're greyhound man like me, you just love the game. That's why I love winning these trophies. Yeah, prizemoney is life changing, but we’re already thinking about making sure he pulls up well and what’s next for us all.”
The atmosphere and large crowd were the best seen in many years at the Glebe racetrack.
From VIP events, to a group of more than 170 in a special trackside function hosted by the boys from the popular Hello Sport podcast, to a bulging general public area, the seventh edition of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase showed that the race, the entire event, and sport, continues to thrive and move forward.