It was only 18 months ago that Central West teenager Jay Opetaia was excited about having his first runner as a trainer but he has since had a finalist in the world's richest race - and last Sunday took out one of the state's time-honoured feature events.
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Opetaia took out the $40,000 Chief Havoc Cup at Gunnedah with Street Of Dreams, one of just two greyhounds in his kennels at Orange.
The other, Agland Luai, finished fourth in the Million Dollar Chase Grand Final at Wentworth Park back in September last year.
"I've been brought up in dogs," Opetaia said. "I have been around them my whole life and trained them with my uncle Scott (Board) and cousin Josh (Board), and Scott has taught me everything I know. He has been very hands on with the training of this dog.
"I have been very, very lucky to have this class of dog this early. The two dogs I've got at the moment, Agland Luai and Street Of Dreams, are both very good dogs so I've been lucky to get them so early on in my career, and he's a very special dog this boy," Opetaia said after the Cup win.
"It's a very surreal feeling and unexplainable really winning this race. Any and every win is a good win. They are all rewarding, but wins like this in these races are very special."
Prior to Opetaia's maiden Cup victory, Street Of Dreams had finished fourth to She's A Pearl in the Group 3 Brother Fox at Dubbo, while Agland Luia had been a finalist in the Group 3 Goulburn Cup last year.
This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.
