NOWRA Puppy Classic finalist Queen Linda is without doubt one of the greyhounds accountable for boosting 83-year-old David Sundstrom’s spirits.
24 April 2024
QUEEN Linda is without doubt one of the greyhounds accountable for boosting 83-year-old David Sundstrom’s spirits each morning, and on Saturday night time she shall be pursuing a $40,000 winner’s cheque when she contests the Group 2 Ladbrokes Nowra Puppy Classic (520m).
Because Queen Linda lacks early velocity Sundstrom concedes she’s going to want a transparent run all through to win.
But the outcome issues little to Sundstrom, who has been coaching greyhounds since 1958, and who was concerned with the 1960 Paws Of Thunder (then often known as the NSW St Leger) winner Constant Raider.
FIELDS AND FORM NOWRA SATURDAY
In recent years Sundstrom and his spouse Susan have loved constant success with a number of greyhounds carrying the Nordic prefix, a nod to David’s Swedish heritage.
In 2012, they completed second on this very race with Here’s Hayley.
“Reason I remember Constant Raider’s big win so clearly was because he was trained by a friend of mine, Byron Mercer, and I backed the dog when he won at 33/1 ($34),” Sundstrom said.
“In those days I used to assist a lot of the leading Sydney trainers, including Les Harper.
“There’s no doubt greyhounds are good for your health, they keep you going.
“Some days when I don’t feel so good, I walk down to the kennels and am greeted by the dogs my wife Susan and I train, all wagging their tails, and I somehow feel a lot better again.
“Queen Linda was a lucky acquisition.
“She was owned by Greg Hore, usually the lure driver at Goulburn, but under the rules, she could not race on that track whenever Greg was driving.
“So when I expressed an interest in her Greg said I could buy her so he put a figure on her and she joined our kennel.
“I think Queen Linda is a genuine 600m bitch so the 520m of the Puppy Classic is probably a bit short for her.
“But on heat times there is only about a half-length between three or four dogs for early pace so if they jam up and Queen Linda finds a clear run she will get to the line strongly.
“Queen Linda ran down Minnie Finn’s Both Bowers Ace to win her Puppy Classic heat in 29.68 and she is capable of getting down to 29.60 in the final.
“And for some reason, she seems to like the Nowra track.”
