Comeback chaser Burnt Briar makes a stunning return

By Alex Nolan

Connections of comeback chaser Burnt Briar have given thanks to a group of veterinarians and detailed the rehabilitation process that paved the way to his remarkable return to racing at Capalaba last Sunday.

Burnt Briar resumed from a nine-month lay-off by winning a fifth grade heat in a blistering 19.52 seconds, the quickest of the meeting. 

Helen Sant, the partner of Burnt Briar’s listed trainer Cliff Houston, said they would have undertaken the same rehabilitation process even if their personable black dog, who prefers singing to barking, was no chance of getting back to the track.

Burnt Briar sustained a “rare injury” when he fell in a fifth grade Final at Albion Park on December 13 of last year.

The black son of Zinzan Brockie suffered a complete tear of his biceps brachii from the ulna and partially from the radius.

Sant said the on-course vet that night, Dr Charlie Welch, diagnosed the problem immediately and said he saw “one or two” per year.

“About 10 years ago our neighbour Ross Odgen had a greyhound do the same injury,” Sant explained.

“Dr Richard Eton-Wells operated on it and the greyhound came back to win nine or 10 races, so we knew it was possible to race again.

“We were involved in the recovery, so realised it would be a slow, stepped process.”

Sant paid special mention to the Australian Greyhound Working and Sporting Dog Veterinarian Group, of which Victoria’s Dr Ray Ferguson is president and founder.

“With the help of Drs John Murray, Leonie Finster, and Ray Ferguson, as well as Lucas Beierer – a noted, brilliant surgeon – we hoped ‘Kobe’ would make it back to the track,” she said.

“Had he not, it wouldn’t have mattered.

"The purpose of the physio was to ensure his injury healed properly.”

The operation was successful and so began the long recovery process.

The retired Houston and semi-retired Sant followed a hand written rehabilitation plan to the letter.

The couple slowly increased ‘Kobe’s’ daily stints on the walking machine, swimming, trotting and lead walks – a time consuming process.

“There’s actually nothing out of the ordinary about the daily attention Kobe received,” Sant was quick to point out.

“The daily physio undertaken to help strengthen Kobe’s surgery repair is not so different to the tasks each and every trainer performs every day to keep their greyhounds sound and fit.

“Trainers all walk, run, and some swim, and treat issues on their greyhounds every single day.”

Nonetheless, Sant and Houston’s dedication to the process eventually led to Burnt Briar heading to the Glass House trialling track, where his work was slowly increased.

“When we first went back we’d put him in the pen and let him run between us,” Sant said.

“Then we’d let him run 50 metres and his first proper run was some time in May over 120 metres.

“We’d give him three or four days in between runs, then we’d let him go a little further.”

Eventually, it was time to get him back to Capalaba, the scene of his maiden triumph in 20.08 seconds last October.  

He would break 20 seconds at his first trial and then recorded a 19.82 second effort at his official return to racing trial.

“He was so excited to get back to the races … we were holding our breath,” Sant said of Burnt Briar’s return last Sunday.

“I didn’t breathe until he came back to the catching pen.

“It was incredibly satisfying to get him back.

“We did a similar thing with Jack’s Black (a winner of 11 from 44) who had nearly 12 months off and came back from that.”

Burnt Briar returns to Capalaba for the fifth grade Final on Sunday and is again drawn in box four.

He boasts the fastest time in the field of promising chasers, including the Selena Zammit-trained Another Chance, who will jump from box six, which will look to extend an unbeaten run of five at the track.

“We’re pretty happy to stay at Capalaba for now,” Sant said.

“John Murray passed away this year but said that being an inside leg, there’s not as much pressure as an outside leg if we were to return to the circle.

“At the moment we’ll stay there and take it week-to-week and see what happens.

“He’s doing so well at the moment and we’re just delighted with what he’s done.”

Sant also paid special mention to leading Capalaba trainer Terry Priest.

“He has been incredibly generous, sharing his knowledge and helping us keep not only Kobe, but our other greyhounds square and sound,” she said.