Former mentor Rick Anderson will be striving for a group 1 return with Armatree Honey in the Peter Mosman Opal

Trainer Rick Anderson will size up his first group event since returning from nearly 20 years in the wilderness when Armatree Honey tackles Saturday night’s heats of the Peter Mosman Opal.

Armatree Honey in full flight at Wentworth Park

RICK Anderson will be chasing his first Group 1 finalist in almost two decades when youngster Armatree Honey faces a baptism of feature race fire in Saturday night’s Peter Mosman Opal heats (520m).

Anderson’s last G1 runner also came in a female-only sprint at Wentworth Park, when Proper Shelby finished unplaced in the 2005 National Futurity.

“I retired from greyhound racing that night and got out for nearly twenty years,” Anderson said.

FIELDS AND FORM WENTWORTH PARK SATURDAY NIGHT

Anderson has a long history in greyhound racing, establishing the Richmond Grove Trial Track in 1986.

After stepping away from the sport in the early 2000s, he relocated to Forster, where he “had a ball” running a boat shed, before returning to Sydney to care for his mother.

“I came back and looked after Mum for two-and-a-half years before she went into 24/7 care,” the Wllberforce mentor explained.

“Then I got bored!

“I’ve only raced two dogs this year; Armatree Honey and Armatree Storm, which are both owned by Craig Fordham.

“Armatree Storm won two in a row at Richmond in 29.50, but after she won by ‘ten’ she got bowled over in the catching pen and she’s finished. She’s just had a litter of 11 (to Fernando Bale).

“She would’ve broken records over 600m and 700m.

“I had a top stayer called Bronze Token years ago. He won his first eight starts, broke the track record at Richmond and made a couple of Group 1 finals. Armatree Storm would’ve picked him up and carried him!

“I love Palawa King, but I would’ve loved to see Armatree Storm take him on over ‘700’.”

While Anderson is left pondering what might have been with Armatree Storm, Armatree Honey has earned a crack at the Peter Mosman Opal with top-two finishes in all seven starts to date.

Her three victories include two at Wentworth Park, leading all-the-way in 29.88 and 30.04.

Drawn in box seven in the first of three heats, Armatree Honey is a $6 chance, with Anderson conceding the September ’22 whelp has been thrown in the deep end.

“Her form is fantastic, but she’s a limited dog,” he offered candidly.

“She’s young – she’d be one of the youngest dogs in the series – so she’s giving away a bit, but she’s an honest bitch and she’ll try her guts out.

“You’ve got to be realistic and she probably can’t get within five or six of Charmaine (Roberts) and Stiffy’s (Shayne Stiff’s) dog (Cindy Keeping - $1.80 favourite).

“I think Tommy Rees’ bitch (Hurricane Reign) holds the key to the race. She runs 5.37 early and gets to the rail, and if she tightens them up that’s my only chance to get across.

“If she can run third she’s still a chance of making the final and anything can happen then.”

Greyhound racing is by no means Anderson’s only sporting passion.

He served as Secretary of Boxing Australia, taking the reins from good friend Arthur Tunstall, while he was an international referee of more than 6000 bouts.

“I took fighters like Tim Tszyu, George Kambosos Jr and Jay Opetaia all over the place before they turned pro,” he explained.

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ALL-IN BETTING

Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal (520m)

Final: Saturday, July 6

Cindy Keeping $4.50

Camilla Keeping $5.50

Depeche $5.50

Daintree Idol $7

Tulsi Banner $7

Au Contraire $8

Armatree Honey $10

Princess Killara $10

Candice Keeping $11