A decade ago, Graham Dwyer was knocking dents out of cars. Now he’s knocking off Group 1 races.
The Queenslander admits he’s “living the dream” since quitting panel beating and turning to full-time training.
He and his 16-year-old son, Layne, work a team of 30 trotters and they’re making serious waves, sitting in equal eighth place with the powerhouse Team McCarthy stable on the Australian trainers’ premiership.
“We’ve had a great season with well over 100 winners from horses mostly passed on from other stables,” Dwyer said.
The horse that has broken the mould is star three-year-old trotter Not As Promised.
Dwyer, who turns 50 next June, said it was by far his biggest thrill when Not As Promised upstaged many of Australasia’s top young squaregaiters to win last month’s Group 1 Victoria Trotters Derby at Maryborough.
“I won a quid, too. Tony (Veivers, owner) told me he was $251 so I had $50 each-way on him out of spite because I gave him a great winning hope. It was pay-off-my-mortgage-type stuff,” he said.
Now their sights are set on repeating the dose in tonight’s Group 1 Breeders Crown 3YO trotting colts and geldings’ final at Melton.
“I’m really confident. It’s an easier race than the Derby and he’s improved since then. He’s a big baby, but he’s learning all the time,” Dwyer said.
“He only did what he had to in the heat, but The Locomotive is the danger in the final and I think we’re just stronger than him.
“I’ve got one of the best drivers in the land in Nathan (Dawson) and he’ll know what to do. But I think he can afford to turn the final into a war if he wants and we’d come out on top.”
TUNE IN at MELTON on Saturday night
First Race: 5.52pm Last Race: 11.05pm
Racecaller: Dan Mielicki, Kirsten Graham, Bronte Nieuwenburg and Ryan Phelan
TrotsVision: WATCH LIVE
SEN Track: LISTEN LIVE
RSN 927: LISTEN LIVE
Winner of the Week
BETWEEN TWO THORNS, by Downbytheseaside out of Kiwi Rose, at Gloucester Park on November 17.
Breed your next winner with Woodlands Stud, supporter of Trots Centre
