TUONO CHARLIE LEAVES AN EVERLASTING LEGACY
Ian Fortune
Tuono Charlie has run his final race.
The greyhound that lit up the Irish track scene for much of this year, building a sequence of sixteen straight wins and establishing himself as one of the greatest stayers of all time sadly picked up a bad hock injury in a trial at the weekend and is now destined for a new career as a stud, while he has already taken to life on the couch.
ALAN AND SHARON DEVASTATED
A devastated Alan Brazier and Sharon Hunt, who both bred and guided Tuono Charlie throughout his career, confirmed the news that their star would be given the best possible care but that he had been very comfortable since picking up the injury.
Said Sharon of Charlie, “The injury came out of the blue and it feels like we were hit by a truck. This dog means so much to us, he’s one of the family. We bred him and he spent the first five months of his career before returning to us when he was ready to race. The rest is history.
“We knew from early he was a good one but we couldn’t have dreamt how good. From the beginning, he just did things right. The more confidence he got, the better he got. He was always destined to be a six-bend dog and it really did come easy to him.
“He was so easy to train, once a race was done he knew he was done and would just switch off. He is so laid back and would only come alive when the routine switched to race mode. When his race meal arrived, he just knew it was time to come alive.”
And when asked of Charlie’s incredible winning sequence when stepping up in trip, Sharon continued; “It was just the best time in our training career. The switch to six bends was always going to happen and when he started to win, he just kept winning. We had to pinch ourself. We set a plan and he went to Kilkenny and Cork before going onto Shelbourne Park
“The Tralee stake came at just the right time and that led us right into the Cambridgeshire. It was just written in the stars. We still find it unbelievable. To have the sequence is phenomenal.”
A BRIGHT START TO HIS CAREER
Indeed, the sequence was phenomenal but Tuono Charlie was far from a one-trick pony. His career began at Shelbourne Park in August 2023, winning on debut in 28.71 before charging home to win his second start in 28.52.
Even at this early stage in his career, his power was very evident. He would take a bad tumble in his fourth career start at HQ before going on his travels when he returned some seven weeks later. He would win a couple of races over slightly further in the subsequent months, reaching the final of a valuable Open 575 at Cork, learning his trade along the way.
After a 550yd victory around Limerick in February, the decision was made to step him up to six bends for a Novice 750 at Shelbourne Park towards the end of the month. It would be the start of a special period in greyhound racing.
Leading early, he would make all to score by four lengths in 42.17. Litle did we know he would be going almost a second and a half faster over the trip just a few months later.
His next race came just a week later and he won in 29.48 for the 550yd trip at Limerick. It was a huge run and one that highlighted his pace.
THE START OF A HISTORY MAKING SEQUENCE
After a luckless run over 575yds at Shelbourne Park, when bidding for a fourth win on the bounce, he would be entered for the T.P Weadick Open 725 at Kilkenny. His improvement through the competition was incredible.
In his opening round success over the 2023 Stayer of the Year Kinturk Road, he posted 40.93 but would find lengths on that in the second round, winning in 40.42, before going on to take the final in 40.37.
Next, he would journey to Cork, winning an Open 750 before taking his chance in the valuable Deadly Kennels Open 750. Again, he was flawless through the €5,000 competition making all in each of the three rounds, winning the decider in 41.25.
The obvious next target was the stayer’s classic, the Corn Cuchulainn, at Shelbourne Park. He produced another masterclass through the early rounds, winning in a sensational 41.01 in the opening round before backing that up in the semi-finals with a 41.22 return.
It was in the final that a greyhound got closest to stopping the sequence with Ballyhooly Tejay getting to within a neck of Tuono Charlie, who stopped the clock in 41.32. It was now that the talk of a sequence began to really gather momentum.
A FIRST TRACK RECORD BUT NOT THE LAST
As Sharon Hunt alluded to, the introduction of the MCP Group 750 at Tralee came at just the right time. It also marked a point in the sequence where Charlie brought his level of performance to a new level.
Smashing the track record in the opening round at Tralee with a scarcely believable 40.76 return, it was clear he was different class to his rivals in the newest competition on the calendar. He recorded a modest 40.92 by his standards in the semis before equalling his own track record in the final to land the €7,000 prize.
He was now at a level that no greyhound in the history of the sport in Ireland had achieved over six bends and he carried that into the Roma Casino Irish Cambridgeshire at Limerick. Wins 14, 15 and 16 in a row came in the €4,500 to the winner event. Along the way he picked up another track record, smashing the clock in the opening round with a National record 40.73 return.
TOUGH DECISION TO BE MADE
He was now on 16 wins and his owners, Paul Dyer, his wife Linda, son in law Ciaran and Dave Perkins were left with a choice to make. Would they pursue the record sequence of twenty wins or take their chance in the Derby?
Of course, Alan and Sharon were also involved in the decision to take their chance in the Derby. It was a truly sporting decision. It would always take him some time to adapt to the step back in trip and ultimately the sequence would end in the opening round with Charlie running on strongly to finish third to Boylesports Bob.
A week later, he produced an incredible display in defeat behind the hottest Derby favourite in modern history, Bockos Diamond. A long way behind Bockos Diamond into the third turn, Tuono Charlie would finish like a train to finish just a length and a half away in second, clocking an incredible 29.13 in defeat.
Sadly, his next start, in the third round, would be the last of his career. Showing fine track craft to challenge off the second turn, he would check his stride, perhaps distracted by something on his outside, before running on very strongly to finish a close fourth.
From looking a certain winner to finishing a desperately unlucky fourth, it was a hard pill to take. The plan was to take in the Open 750 on Derby final night before a crack at the Winter Racing Festival 750, but it wasn’t meant to be.
The news of his injury came as a real blow, not just to his owners and loving handlers, but to the entire greyhound racing world. Greyhounds like Tuono Charlie only come around just once in a generation.
PAUL THANKFUL TO OWN CHARLIE
Paul Dyer, who was lucky enough to own Charlie, may have limited experience as an owner but he knew just how lucky he was to get his hands on a dog with such talent. Said Paul, “It is just devastating news.
He was only the second dog I owned and I’ll probably never own another as good as him. I bought him off the best people and they [Sharon and Alan] did an incredible job with him.
“It was an incredible journey with Charlie, one I’ll never forget. Now I’ll probably spend the rest of my days trying to find another like him.
“We’ll do what’s best for the dog now, he will get the best care and will be well looked after. That’s the main thing.”
As for Sharon and Alan, Charlie will have a place on their couch for the rest of his days, “He’s like a child to us, he always has been. He’s a gentleman of a dog and has already taken to lie indoors. He’s with Brian Jones for an operation on the leg but will be back to us at the end of the week and will never leave us.
“We’ve had interest from stud keepers and we’ll explore his options but nothing will be done until he recovers.”
THE END OF THE ROAD
Of course, it is the end of the road as regards Tuono Charlie on the track but he leaves those closest to him with the best memories. In a seven-month spell this year, he won sixteen races in a row, capturing every major prize on offer for six bends greyhounds on these shores.
He lit up the track scene, was the undoubted greatest story of 2024 and those lucky enough to see him at his very best will long remember the powerful son of Good News and Farranrory Bonny. He was a true superstar with perhaps the greatest combination of pace and immense power seen in any greyhound in the modern era.
We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing his progeny hit the track in the future. Finally, it’s only fitting to end our tribute with a simply thank you to a racing machine. Enjoy retirement Charlie.