Greyhound trainer Peter Presutto has a lot of wonderful memories at Healesville, and he is hoping another will come out of Sunday’s Group 2 Lion Quality Healesville Cup final (350m).
Presutto, of Devon Meadows, has Accomplished drawn in Box 1, with the greyhound rated a $14.00 chance with TAB fixed odds.
Accomplished has had 19 starts for seven wins and six placings, while his past five starts have been ultra-consistent producing three wins and two seconds including last week’s heat win at Healesville in 19.057sec.
While focussed on keeping things as normal as possible in the lead-up to the $45,000 to-the-winner Healesville Cup, Presutto, a full time carpenter, admits to having a nervous excitement ahead of what would be the perfect celebration for his 50th birthday later this month.
“It’ll be a big double celebration if he can win the Healesville Cup,” Presutto said, “But I’m trying not think about that right now as I know how hard group races are to win.”
So hard, in fact, that Presutto has won just one group race before in 30 years of training – that being the 1995 Healesville Cup with Vintage Oak.
“That was a great day. I remember he had Box 7 and it was pouring with rain. He was a big dog and he crashed to the fence, took out the entire field and kept going,” he said.
Accomplished in action during Healesville Cup heat win and, above, receiving a cuddle from
Peter Presutto. Pics Clint Anderson.
“In 1985 I bought two pups from a guy who told me that there was a new track opening up at Healesville, and that I should take the pups there to give them a gallop.”
“So I reared the pups at home and would regularly take them to Healesville to give them a hand-slip on the track, which was grass in those days.”
“At the time I remember being approached by the President of the club about becoming a foundation member, so I jumped on board. I’ve had a long association with Healesville, that’s for sure,” he said.
Sunday afternoon’s Healesville Cup will encompass a huge family day boasting a children’s carnival and the chance to win a family holiday to the Gold Coast including theme park passes.
Healesville Cup Information
Shock Results in Healesville Cup heats
