By Jordan Gerrans
When Michael Ivers relocated to Gosford about 25 years ago, he lost some contact with his old mate and former partner within the greyhound game in Tony Zammit.
The pair were sporting big grins, arm-in-arm, on Friday evening as they were back together once again.
While they were together at the Gabba to celebrate one of their champions – Trojan Tears – going into the Hall of Fame at the 2021 TAB Queensland Greyhound of the Year awards, they were also glad to finally be able to spend some time with each other.
When Ivers was informed of his former staying star being bestowed the Hall of Fame honour, he made sure he was back in the Sunshine State to be with Zammit for the special occasion.
“I made the trip to be here with Tony for the awards,” Michael said.
“I have been in Gosford for 25 years and we have lost a little bit of contact over that time.”
Trojan Tears was a special dog for Zammit and Ivers, winning 30 races for over $150,000 in prize money, as well as becoming the first-ever dog to win Greyhound of the Year honours in two states, being her home state of Queensland and south of the border in New South Wales.
Legend dog man Zammit trained the star bitch with Ivers her owner, as her fans recognising her as “Emma”.
Ivers is training in his own right now, and has been for some time, and while the duo are not as close as they once were, they still have a tight bond.
“If Michael ever wants me to train a dog for him now, I have told him I am happy to do that,” Zammit said.
“We have known each other for many years.
“We have not seen much of each other in recent years, since he has moved, but it is great to see him now.”
Her best performances were saved for the Gabba, where she was inducted on Friday evening, and Wentworth Park.
She claimed Cup races – including the 1993 Sydney Cup - and broke track records everywhere she went.
South East Queensland-based trainer Zammit just knew that his star chaser was "on" ahead of an interstate venture, as Ivers recalled.
“Tony would always bring her to Wentworth Park and he would always tell me at the airport, she could not wait to get on the crate to get on that air plane,” he said.
“She knew she was going down there to do battle.”
Trojan Tears just loved to race and thrived on travelling south of the border to take on the other big guns.
“It is amazing with greyhounds, whenever they go in the car or on a plane, they know physiologically that they are going somewhere and they get pumped up,” Zammit said.
“That happens as soon as you leave home.
“It just shows that greyhounds love to run, that is why they are here, they are here to run.
“They love to race and run.”
While loving her racing, the multiple premiership winning trainer believes Trojan Tears was a smart dog in the way she went about it.
“She had a great sense of racing,” Zammit, who also trained Trojan Tears’ mother, said.
“She really knew how to race; it was like she had a top jockey on her back the way she could weave her way through the field – it was amazing.”
The pair were chuffed to see their legend bitch be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday evening in front of the all major players in the code.
“It is a great honour to be involved in the induction, as she achieved a lot as a staying performer,” Zammit said.
“She is the only dog ever to win Greyhound of the Year in both states, Queensland and New South Wales.
“She raced so well in NSW.”
While Zammit and Ivers are still here talking about one of their favourite dogs they have ever had, her former owner says she should receive all the credit, not them.
“She deserves every accolade she has got,” he said.
Trojan Tears’ racing career has been finished for decades but her impact on racing continues.
The Tears moniker is seen at greyhound tracks around Australia every week, with Ivers recently preparing Tough Tears and Dearest Tears.
She continues to throw champions such as Tornado Tears, who surpassed one million dollars in prize money during a career that claimed several Group 1s, while Tough Tears won through to a Melbourne Cup Final when he was trained by Rob Britton.
The evening also saw another Hall of Fame inductee with legendary Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club vice president and long-time administrator, Bob Lambert, also going in alongside Trojan Tears.