There might not have been a more special race to win for Len Haaring than the one in Mudgee on Sunday.
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The Cooks Gap greyhound trainer collected the $1000 purse on offer in the Bob Milne Memorial Best Eight stakes when Pure Arrogance won the 434-metre feature.
It was an emotional win for Haaring who was a good mate of Milne before the latter passed away in 2012.
Sunday’s race was held on the second anniversary of the likeable former greyhound trainer’s death and it was only fitting a dog from Milne’s last litter won the race.
“We call him [Pure Arrogance] one of the super six,” Haaring said. “He was one of six greyhounds to have survived the litter.”
It was Pure Arrogance 13th win from 30 starts, and even though it wasn’t his best, it was his most important.
“Bob had a strong association with the greyhound club so I thought I would throw one of his dogs in there,” Haaring said.
“I was a little bit worried about entering because I didn’t want to see it as a race that was set up for us.
“The race was put on by Bob’s son, Darrell. Darrell was the one to put the money up for it. He had not much interest in the race because he had no runners in it.
“He wanted to put it on last year but unfortunately it didn’t happen. This year we have started it off and hopefully it becomes an annual thing because Bob did love his greyhounds.”
It wasn’t the best of preparations for Pure Arrogance as Haaring said his runner was “terrible” when he trialled during the week.
But come race day, Pure Arrogance, who was racing for the first time on his home track, jumped clear from box eight and straight to the front.
“He led by about eight lengths around the top corner, then he was just in front before finding his balance and he kicked away on the home straight to win,” Haaring explained.