Lara-trained chaser Trooper Tears led from start to finish in the 2024 edition of the Sale Cup (640 metres) on Boxing Day.
An impressive heat winner, Trooper Tears, trained by Robert Britton and owned by John Hutchinson, surprisingly started at $10.60, dominating Victorian greyhound racing’s richest provincial race, with this year’s cup worth $113,500.
It was Trooper Tears first victory at group one level, jumping from box five, to secure the $75,000 first prize cheque, holding off a late charge from Black Silencer ($10.30) to win by two lengths, with Iron Atlas ($32.00) running third, in the race time of 36.23.
Race favourite, Canya All Class ($1.60) found trouble on the first turn, bounced back up to run a place down the back, before weakening late to finish sixth.
Trooper Tears spent the past seven months in Queensland, returning to Victoria for a short Sale Cup campaign.
Once a rising star with 10 wins and five seconds in his first 15 starts, Trooper Tears faced a challenging period plagued by injuries and inconsistency, winning just four of his next 24 starts, however, his resilience and brilliance shone through as he returned to peak form during the Sale Cup series, taking his stakemoney to $409,737.
The Britton family’s legacy at the Sale Cup continues to grow, with this victory marking Robert Britton’s second triumph in the event, following Symmetry’s win in 2010.
The Britton family’s dominance extends back to 1997, with wins by Robert’s brother Jeff (Star Recall, 2014) and father Alan (Shannen’s Storm,1997).
It was a remarkable night racing with the winners of the other three features all breaking track record.
Heyfield flier Short Straw Trev for Donnie Rhodes began the three race record blitz, powering across from box seven to take out the $10,000 James Yeates Rising Stars, becoming the first dog to break the magical 24 second mark, recording 23.99.
In the very next race, Bundalaguah-trained Nangar Jim for Ken Bailey broke the 510 metre record for the third consecutive week, taking the middle distance feature in 28.22.
And finally in the race before the cup, the David Geall (Lara) prepared speedster, Boracay Storm took out the sprint feature in a flying 23.925, eclipsing the short lived record of Short Straw Trev.
