Wagga Wagga accountant and part-time greyhound trainer Corinna Ellis is preparing her greyhound Prancing Pat for the final of the Goulburn Fireball, a 350-meter race scheduled for Friday evening at the Goulburn Cup meeting. Prancing Pat, a finalist in the $25,000-to-the-winner event, is owned by a syndicate primarily composed of members from the Turvey Park Football and Netball Club in Wagga Wagga, the junior club of Fremantle Dockers AFL forward Pat Voss, after whom the greyhound is named.
Voss, known for his energetic and aggressive playing style, as well as his celebratory antics—earning him the nickname “Prancing Pony”—has a keen connection to the greyhound’s identity. Ellis noted the similarities between the dog and its namesake, highlighting Prancing Pat’s spirited nature and strong racing record, with 17 wins from 28 starts.
“Prancing Pat is actually very hypo—he can get himself really wound up—but he has a great record. He’s just a hard chaser. He won his first five starts and has also had multiple winning streaks of five races in a row,” Ellis said. The syndicate includes around 20 to 30 individuals from the Turvey Park football club, who have embraced the dog’s success with enthusiasm.
Ellis and her family, who live in Coolamon, recently experienced a contrasting sporting outcome when Coolamon defeated Turvey Park in the Riverina Football League grand final, adding a layer of local sporting rivalry to the greyhound’s campaign.
Among Prancing Pat’s main competitors in the Fireball final is Victorian trainer Anthony Azzopardi, who has two finalists: fastest heat winner Askern Violet (box 4) and New Zealand import Red Wine Rome (box 8). Prancing Pat himself was briefly trained by Azzopardi earlier this year before being returned to the Riverina region. Ellis explained that Prancing Pat’s behavior presented challenges: “He’s a bad kennel dog and was upsetting Anthony’s kennel, so Anthony said sorry, he couldn’t have him, he was a bit too much.”
For the final, Prancing Pat has drawn box two, the same position he occupied during his 19.55-second heat victory. While the greyhound has shown some difficulty settling in the starting boxes, Ellis noted improvements: “He does play up in the boxes but he’s getting better. He’s also got stronger as he’s gotten older.”
The Fireball final promises a competitive showdown, with Prancing Pat representing the fervor of the Wagga Wagga syndicate in a race that not only tests speed but also temperament and resilience.