Sportsbet win rights to WA superstar Miss Envy representing them in $600,000 Sandgroper at Cannington in April

After a bidding war between prospective slot holders, Sportsbet have won the honour of WA jet Miss Envy representing them in the $600,000 TABtouch Sandgroper (520m) at Cannington on April 24. Boasting an imposing resume of 15 wins from just 23 starts, many were keen to get their hands on Steve and Krystal Shinners’ still-rising talent. But with first priority and an offer they couldn’t refuse, bookmaker Sportsbet won the right with the husband-wife training duo coming to terms on Monday. Not seen since January 2 when suffering a surprise nose defeat to littermate La Sagrada at Queensland’s Albion Park circuit, the recently crowned WA Greyhound of the Year was given the odd moniker of Gary at birth simply because she already seemed the greatest of all time, or “Gary the GOAT”. “She had a personality like she’d been on this planet before,” Steve Shinners said. “She was my favourite and Krystal’s was La Sagrada but when they were young, they had a fight and Gary broke her tail, which is why she has no tail. “She’s really cheeky and bear-hugs you with both paws on your shoulders but is gentle with young kids.” The two dogs are daughters of Shinners’ remarkable producer Miss America, who was retired through injury after 15 wins. Alongside 24-time winning littermate Yuup, named for a man in the tv programme Storage Wars who shouted the eponymous expression, the two greyhounds set the Shinners’ up. “She got the name through (late greyhound trainer) John Carmody. He couldn’t remember Krystal’s name and because she’s a good-looking girl, he just called her Miss America. “It became a running joke, so I called one of my pups Miss America.” All 13 of Miss America’s race pups have won with stakes totalling almost $1.5 million. But Krystal, a nurse by trade and passionate marathon competitor, challenges Miss Envy for fitness and coping with pressure. “She’s been down to Nannup for an eight-day stint. It’s really high pressure. One of my mates has worked with her and says she’s unbelievable,” Shinners said. “She does a lot of running to clear her head and keep fit, but she’s involved with the dogs as much as she can. “She whelps all the dogs down and recently one of them wasn’t going to make it, but she gave it mouth-to-mouth for hours. Her nursing side came out and nine times out of 10 they don’t make it, but she managed to get it going. They’re nine weeks old now.” There’s also something poetic about this year’s series for Shinners, with the dates aligning with Miss Envy’s debut and Shinners’ other star Electrified’s appearance in the slot race two years ago. The top dog will have her final trial at Cannington today before Saturday night’s Perth Cup heats, where Shinners will also have La Sagrada engaged.