Gold Bullion the next target for Borg’s Deadly Avenger

By Josh Spasaro

All trainers, breeders and owners dream of the moment when their broodbitch throws something special.

Victorian conditioner Joe Borg has experienced the exhilaration of that with reigning The Phoenix champion, Deadly Avenger.

The three-year-old dog with almost $1.8 million in prizemoney to his name will be the one to beat in the third Gold Bullion heat at Q2 Parklands on Thursday night.

By Tommy Shelby, Borg trained, reared and bred his dam, Avenger Lass, from his Maryborough home, north of Ballarat.

While she only won eight times from 24 starts, Borg saw some good signs in her.

“All I can tell you about Avenger Lass is she was very quick early. Extremely quick,” he said.

“She’d run up to about 450 metres. She had four excellent brothers – Ultimate Avenger, Black Avenger, Master Avenger and Masked Avenger. They were all quality dogs and they won a lot of races.

“She won a few races herself, but she was a little bit hot-and-cold. But, when she put it together, she was unbeatable.

“There might’ve been an underlying issue that I could never find with her. But, she beat all her brothers in trials.”

Timing is everything when it comes to greyhound breeding.

And, putting a stop to Avenger Lass’s on-track career proved to be a masterstroke from Borg. 

“She was a good bitch, but she just had her traits. But, a bitch like that can throw something out of this world. I’ve seen it before,” he said.

“Everyone having a crack in this sport wishes the next litter they breed brings along another superstar for them who can reach the heights of what Deadly has done.

“There was no injury. We just chose to pull the pin with her.

“When she came on season we bred with her. And, that’s the result.”

Deadly Avenger overtook Eriza Sparkles at the turn for home in the 2025 Group 1 The Phoenix on December 13.

From there, he powered home to salute by over four lengths in 29.65 seconds and was a deserving winner of the $1 million prize.

It rounded out an incredible 2025 for the talented black dog, who also won the Group 1 Perth Cup and $300,000 to-the-winner Sandgroper Final slot race.

“Didn’t he make a statemen,” Borg said.

“He was the last dog to be picked up in The Phoenix with a slot holder.

“He was the last dog to be drawn out in the box draw and he was the first home. What it’s all about is, it doesn’t matter when you get picked up – it’s just what, why, how.

“Jason Thompson got the dog, I think it was 10 or 11 days before the race. We swapped kennels then and it all came together.”

Borg said Deadly Avenger will be feeling fresh and ready to go for his Gold Bullion heat after returning from his convincing The Phoenix triumph with a victory over 525 metres from box five at The Meadows on January 17.

“He had a hit-out last Saturday week at The Meadows and he won by about four lengths. He went 29.65 around The Meadows,” he said.

“Q2 is 520. It’s five metres less. He’s had a hit-out in between just to freshen him up and he went brilliantly.

“He’s feeling good. He’s been around Q2 in two races and two trials. So, he’s had a look at the track four times before. It’s only been last year. And, he’s got a pretty good memory. I’ll be taking him up (from Victoria) this time.”

Borg added that Deadly Avenger won’t mind starting from box seven in a Gold Bullion heat that will also feature quality chasers such as Pop’s Maestro, Teresita, Star Turn and Daysea’s Chief.

His kennel star saluted from box six in The Phoenix.

“And, Saturday week ago he won from five. So, he doesn’t mind it (an outside lane),” Borg said.

“I like the Q2, the way it’s been designed. I think it gives outside dogs a chance, if they’ve got the pace to get across.”