Young training duo Correy and Sam Grenfell have their hands full with four children, which includes 10-month-old twins, and 50 greyhounds.
Despite the hard work, the Grenfells describe their journey in greyhounds as a dream come true and Friday night’s TAB Melbourne Cup contender Tiggerlong Tonk is a big part of that.
Tiggerlong Tonk was the fastest qualifier into the Melbourne Cup and lines up as the third elect to take out the $435,000 first prize.
“This is the race that everyone wants to win. We started the year thinking that Tonk would be in a good stage of his career come Melbourne Cup time and to have him fit, healthy and running the times he is now is unbelievable,” Correy Grenfell said.
The Grenfells are no strangers to successful greyhounds in their short careers being blessed with Orson Allen in 2018/19, who banked more than $620,000 in prize money.
When Orson Allen retired to begin his career at stud, Tiggerlong Tonk was ready to step in and take over.
“We feel very lucky and honoured to have had dogs like Orson and Tonk because some trainers can go their entire careers without that one life-changing dog.”
Throughout their success, the Grenfells have invested back into the sport, setting up a greyhound property in Mount Wallace.
“Orson’s prize money was able to help us secure our property and give our family a really good life.”
Tiggerlong Tonk is well on his way to doing the same having claimed the Horsham Cup, Easter Gift and Shootout.
“The Shootout was a great showcase of what Tiggerlong Tonk can do,” Grenfell said.
“It was a hand-selected field of four which included three of this year’s Melbourne Cup contenders.”
Tiggerlong Tonk didn’t just win the Shootout at Sandown Park, he lowered the Shootout race record.
“Tonk does his best racing out in front, he did it in the Shootout and now to do it again on the big stage and to be in the Cup next week is a huge thrill.”
Tiggerlong Tonk will jump from box eight in the Group 1 TAB Melbourne Cup which is set to jump at 8.10pm on Friday night.
WATCH: Tiggerlong Tonk win is Melbourne Cup heat from box four.