Jungle Deuce began 2021 as an unraced dog full of promise, but the stunning 12 months which followed has seen the Jack Smith-trained star acclaimed as the NSW Greyhound of the Year.
Owned by Clay Mawson and Brian Jaggers, Jungle Deuce was selected by the panel of expert judges as the victor over fellow finalists, Stanley Road, Wow and Zipping Kyrgios, with connections receiving the award at a gala function in Sydney on Sunday.
In a year that began with a first-start victory at Wentworth Park on January 13, 2021, 'The Deuce' as he became known would race 24 times in NSW during the year, registering 15 wins, four seconds and two thirds, and amassed more than $125,000 in prizemoney.
Jungle Deuce's biggest wins in his home state in 2021 were the Group 3 New Sensation and the Listed Brother Fox at Dubbo. He also raced with distinction interstate winning four races including the Group 2 Flying Amy and the State of Origin Match Race at Queensland's Albion Park.
The son of Barcia Bale and Serena Fly High only raced another eight times in 2022 – winning two Group 1s – before being retired to stud with a career record of 25 wins from 44 starts and $649,070 in prizemoney.
"It's very important that we celebrate and recognise our outstanding performers and the achievements of those in our sport each year," Greyhound Racing NSW Chief Executive Officer Rob Macaulay said.
"On behalf of GRNSW I want to congratulate all of our participants on navigating 2021, which was a challenging year for everyone, and I particularly offer my congratulations to the award winners today.
"Jungle Deuce was a greyhound that captured the imagination of racegoers and fans during a magnificent year of racing and he thoroughly deserves the honour of joining some of the greats of our sport as NSW Greyhound of the Year."
Jungle Deuce's dam, Serena Fly High, was also an award winner on the day, collecting the honour of Dam of the Year.
During 2021, Serena Fly High's progeny raced 34 times in NSW for 17 wins and 13 placings and amassed $424,900 in prizemoney, with Jungle Deuce and Golden Easter Egg winner Tommy Shelby leading the way.
The 2015 NSW Greyhound of the Year Fernando Bale made it back-to-back wins in the Sire of the Year award in 2021.
During the year, the progeny of Fernando Bale won 2,740 races and were placed 4,859 times in NSW events and earned a staggering $9,224,737.
Fernando Bale's sons Tommy Shelby (Golden Easter Egg) and Bandit Ned (Vic Peters Classic) provided the super sire with Group 1 wins in 2021.
Jodie Lord took out her second successive Metropolitan Trainer of the Year, courtesy of her greyhounds winning 48 races in town, and she also claimed a fourth NSW Trainer of the Year title, adding to her successes in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
The Young Achiever of the Year award went to the Dubbo club's secretary Courtney Norbury who not only plays a significant role with the club each week but was pivotal in helping make the inaugural running of the Brother Fox in 2021 a huge success.
The 2021 Volunteer of the Year went to the Taree club's Marilyn Turner who has not only served on the committee and has spent almost 50 years as a member of the club, but is the raceday secretary and a tireless worker across many areas on raceday.
It was not only a day to acknowledge the achievements in the NSW racing industry and the 2021 Greyhounds As Pets Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Lismore's Jamie Hancock.
The 2021 Distinguished Services award went to Glenn Summerfield.
Glenn, who was at the inaugural meeting when the Shoalhaven Greyhound Racing Club was formed in Nowra on July 30, 1971, has served for 35 years as a director of the club and has had two terms as president - 1990-1992 and from 2014 until the present. Glenn volunteers at all trial sessions and is the leader of working bees and track repairs for both the sand track and previously with returfing of the old grass track.
The other prestigious award on the day was the Allen Wheeler Medal which went to Coonamble's Roley Green.
Roley, born and bred in Coonamble, is an institution in the town and at the club where he is a foundation member, a life member, president of the Coonamble club for 40 years, and has been there since the first race meeting back in May 1973.
