To Sir, with Love

[Wandering Eyes]

Emerging stayer Golden Ratio epitomises a ‘To Sir, with Love’ simile.

Even Sidney Poitier would be impressed!

Ironically, “London” (as she’s affectionately known) is trained by a teacher – British ex-pat Andrew Broadley – who is a maths mentor at St Peter’s College in Cranbourne. (He self-proclaims enjoying looking at the ‘splits’ from greyhound events.)

Broadley, 47, has taken the fawn-coloured Golden Ratio – named after a mathematical symmetry algorithm underlying our perception of attractiveness – from ‘crayons to perfume’.

And now Golden Ratio (Box 1) aims to be ‘pleasing to the eye’ in the $37,250 Group 3 KCR Pet Transport Fireball final (730m) – Race 6, 8.05pm – at The Meadows on Saturday night.

Broadley, a trainer from the ‘burbs’ in Aspendale, and Golden Ratio are both up against the ‘big boys’ – with due respect to the other female finalists, Golden Quest and Aston Samba – as they chase a $25,000 first prize.

“She’s a terrible beginner, but if she can jump and keep pushing through along the rail, she’ll be running on.”

Golden Ratio (Dec ’18 Aston Dee Bee x Betta Bale) was in ‘divine proportion’ in her heat, coming from seventh early to score in 43.35sec – and paying $14.90.

A recent Pink Diamond Champion Distance finalist, Golden Ratio has won 10 races (with 14 seconds and 10 thirds) from 70 starts. She’s also won four of her past nine starts.

In late May last year, Golden Ratio was a Healesville Oaks finalist (350m), thus highlighting her versatility.

Golden Ratio is $8.50 on TAB fixed odds for the final – behind Rohan Bale ($2.40), Jarick Bale ($2.90) and Golden Quest ($6.00).

Amazingly, Broadley took on Golden Ratio as a giveaway when she was around 14-15 months old.

However, by Broadley’s ‘calculations’, the ‘teacher’s pet’ is a live chance in the Fireball – especially from box one.

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“She’s a terrible beginner, but if she can jump and keep pushing through along the rail, she’ll be running on,” Broadley said.

“She just needs a lot of luck… She’s a great chaser and has a strong will to win.”

Broadley and wife Sheila – along with daughter Emma, 18, (who has a handler’s licence) and son Daniel, 14 (who is applying for a handler’s licence) – emigrated from the “Old Dart” in 2009.

“We wanted better opportunities for the kids and an outdoor lifestyle,” Broadley said.

But not even in his wildest dreams did Broadley think he’d become involved in greyhound racing.

“If you’d asked me five years ago, I would have said ‘I’m a million-to-one chance’.”

WATCH: GOLDEN RATIO (B2) is in ‘perfect symmetry’ with a power-laden Fireball heat win.

However, a chat over a few beers with some mates was the catalyst for his first greyhound, Lady Bang Bang.

“I never intended on training as I originally got mixed up in the sport for fun – you know, as a social outlet.”

Lady Bang Bang raced on 100 occasions for 12 wins, six seconds and 21 thirds.

Broadley and his next-door neighbour, Stephen Smullen https://watchdog.grv.org.au/trainer/318212659, now each have two pups from her first litter (Dec ’20 Aussie Infrared) – bred by Matthew https://watchdog.grv.org.au/trainer/-25195 and Bianca Clark  – with two of them having just hit the racetrack.

But, for the moment, Golden Ratio is the star of the show for Broadley.

And she’s writing “across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high”… “To Sir, with Love.”

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