STAR OF ‘OLIVERI’ RACES GREYHOUNDS

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31449, 16 August 1967, Page 2

STAR OF ‘OLIVERI’ RACES GREYHOUNDS

Away from the footlights Lola Nixon, the female star of “Oliver!”, had an unusual hobby—greyhound racing.

Dogs had always been one of her weaknesses, she said in Christchurch yesterday. But her venture into racing was quite by chance.

Two years ago she was given a greyhound for her birthday, and as the intelligent beast grew bigger and stronger, she wondered, “What the blazes will I do with her?” A friend “in the business” suggested some training for Lady Minsby. “It was quite beaut, when she turned out to be good enough to race,” said Miss Nixon. Unfortunately, Lady Minsby’s greatest triumph, her recent romp home in the Queensland Cup, was during her mistress’s tour. But Miss Nixon has the picture and press clippings, sent by the trainer, to remind her of the victory. Lola Bay, her second racing greyhound, which is two years old, recently won her first race.

Just before she left Australia, Miss Nixon’s Tasmanian bitch (lent to her for breeding) presented her with a litter of seven puppies, but these had been sold, she said. Lady Minsby is a dark brindle and Lola Bay is a very bright beige (almost a cream) with four white feet and a white blaze on her nose. Miss Nixon prefers female

dogs for racing. “Ladies seem to run faster,” she said. Miss Nixon says she is no gambler. If she has a mild flutter which wins her a “couple of quid” she is the happiest person on the course.

She is particularly attached to Lola Bay, which she reared herself with her Harlequin French poodle Chi Chi. It was exercise rather than diet that kept the greyhound so slim, she said. Their diet was not particularly scientific: meat supplemented by carrots and vegetables and a nob or two of garlic every week to keep their coats shiny. CM Chi, her French poodle was an accident at birth wMch has turned out to be a star in her own right When she was looking for a pet Miss Nixon came on a breeder who was about to drown a little black and while ball of fluff (a socially unacceptable poodle who had the misfortune to have been born with a white belly and four wMte feet). “I was told to let her have one litter of puppies before she was spayed, but the breeder who delivered her first two puppies (black and white, just like their mother) was so interested she bought them both on the spot.” Since then, Chi Chi has had 16 more progeny, and all have been sold. The Harlequin poodles (black poodles with four white feet and

bellies) have been accepted on the Continent and are gaining popularity in Australia. “Whenever CM CM Is pregnant there is a waiting list,” said Miss Nixon. The picture shows Miss Nixon relaxing with Lola Bay in the backyard of her Sydney home.