Nangar pair ready for Silver Dollars test

By Josh Spasaro

Veteran New South Wales trainer Dennis Barnes could not be happier with the attitudes of litter siblings Nangar Rookie and Nangar Mystery ahead of the Molly Campbell Silver Dollars heats at Q2 Parklands on Thursday night.

By Hooked On Scotch and out of his broodbitch Nangar Silk, the litter siblings have already shown plenty of potential early in their careers.

With the brothers turning two on August 29, they both have two wins each.

“I’m happy with them. They’re coming along as I’d hope they would after winning maidens at Grafton,” Barnes said. 

“They’ve got beautiful natures. They’re beautiful kennel dogs. You couldn’t find better kennel dogs.”

Nangar Mystery was a strong two-length winner over 457 metres at Q1 Lakeside two starts back on August 4, crossing the line in 25.67 seconds.

He will start from box four in Thursday night’s second heat.

“It’s not the best of boxes. But, as long as he can come out and hold his position at the first turn, I suppose he’s going to be in it,” Barnes said.

“It all depends on what happens going around that turn. Hopefully he’ll go better on the two-turn track, that dog.”

Barnes said Nangar Rookie might also have a tough task ahead of him from box eight in the first Molly Campbell Silver Dollars heat.

Like Nangar Mystery, his last win was over 457 metres at Q1 Lakeside on July 21.

“I think he’ll find it pretty tough from out there. I don’t think he’s got the early pace,” he said.

“I would’ve liked to see him draw the inside, but you never know. He might need a bit of luck coming out better than what he has been. So, we can only hope.”

Litter sister Nangar Dixie will also make her seventh career start in the second heat, where she will line up against Nangar Mystery, from box seven for John Corrigan.

She has two wins, as well.

“John is a real good friend of ours. We’re both drawn against each other, which is funny,” Barnes said.

“But, she’ll go all right. She’s not a bad little bitch.”

Nangar Silk has enjoyed an excellent career as a broodbitch since retiring with 11 wins from 22 starts in 2020.

Nangar Gypsy and Nangar Jim are her top progeny, both with more than $200,000 in prizemoney to their names.

The now-retired bitch Nangar Gypsy won last year’s Group 1 Golden Sands Final.

“You only have to look back at Nangar Silk’s progeny. It’s been incredible. And, she was a great chaser,” Barnes said.

“She only had 20 or so starts and got injured, but she was always going to be a broodbitch, anyway.

“Usually, if the first litter is OK, then you’re pretty right.”

Dennis and Ann Barnes have run the Sunnylodge greyhound education centre at Cudal for the best part of four decades.

In recent years, their daughters Sandra Spratt and Tracy Barnes have taken on more responsibility.

This has allowed Dennis to enjoy his time in Northern NSW for the Grafton Cup carnival in recent weeks.

“We come up every year normally for the carnival,” he said.

“We usually stay another month or so. I built a unit here just near the track and it’s got six kennels in it.

“It’s just great here. I can go to Casino or Grafton or up the highway to The Q and it gets us away from the cold winter.

“It’s great. It’s really comfortable. My son-in-law and daughters look after my pups and rear them for me and they look after the farm.

“They’re very involved back home. I couldn’t do it without them.”

Barnes added he had some exciting juvenile chasers looking good during their education phase.

“We’ve got some young Bernardos coming through. They broke in really good and we’re looking forward to them,” he said.

“It’s early days. But, what they’re doing now, we’re really happy.”