Legends honoured with induction into WA Racing Hall of Fame

Greyhound racing cult hero Tommy Shelby is set to be immortalised as he joins Christine and Dave Robartson in the WA Racing Hall of Fame.

Dubbed “The People’s Greyhound”, Tommy Shelby burst onto the State’s racing scene at Cannington and quickly made his mark locally. The Blue Dog then took his talents interstate and dominated the Group 1 events, taking out wins in the Golden Easter Egg, Australian Cup and Hobart Thousand.

He remains the only WA-trained dog to win any of those features.

During his career, Tommy Shelby was unplaced in just five of his 48 starts and compiled an impressive 31 wins. He took out the Australian Greyhound of the Year in 2020-21 and WA Greyhound of the Year in both 2020 and 2021 to become only the third dual winner of the award.

The Robartsons have been connected to greyhound racing ever since the Mandurah track first opened in 1979, working their way up from kiosk operators at Kanyana Park to well-respected breeders, owners and trainers.

During their time in the sport, they have bred prominent dogs, which have produced a high winning strike rate of about 24.4 per cent. Their best performers include 1995 Greyhound of the Year Wits End and the only dual Perth Cup winner High Earner, with many prominent runners coming from the Roxy Reason breeding line.

Racing and Wagering Western Australia CEO Ian Edwards said the inductees have left their mark on the State’s rich greyhound racing history.

“These inductees have all earned their induction into the Hall of Fame and deserve to be celebrated for the impact they have made on the sport,” Ian said.

The Greyhound Racing Awards and Hall of Fame event will be held on Sunday, 16 February 2025 at Crown Perth.