One of the great characters of Australian Greyhound Racing with perhaps the best story. Max Wintle and Dennis Direct travelled to the USA for the Championship at Flagler. He was the first Australian trainer to travel to America with a race dog, the dog was ultimately scratched due to the poor condition he arrived in. He was accompanied by now-billionaire Lindsay Fox, whose brother Don owned Dennis Direct. I tried to get Max to tell the story on TV, a real raconteur he entertained the entire room when inducted into the Victorian Hall of Fame in 2018. Max was also the first trainer to win National Sprint (Dennis Direct) & National Distance (Sprig O’Heather) Championships in same year (1961). Trained winners on at least 65 greyhound racetracks around Australia. I not sure if he continues to train greyhounds from his house block in Melbourne (Reservoir) at 87 years of age. We sadly lost Victorian Hall of Fame trainer Max Wintle in January of this year 2023. An extraordinary greyhound man loved all over Australian Max was a one of kind pioneer. His daughter Vanessa has kindly shared with me some very personal family photos’. I have before highlighted Max’s 1961 trip to Miami here and on the Website. A journey without a happy ending as Dennis Direct was unable to race at Biscayne. However, the undertaking of the trip for that time stands alone. Here are some of the Photo’s and Press coverage. I love the pic of Max’s traveling partner Billionaire Lindsay Fox. His Brother Don owned Dennis Direct a sale organised by a couple of national Hall of Famers George Schofield and Ron Nestor. Max and Lindsay certainly made an impression on the Americans as a letter sent to Victoria’s Greyhound Racing boss says it all. The Wentworth Park pics are also worth a look of Dennis Direct winning the Australian Sprint Championship.
Craig Davis – I remember he used to go to Rockhampton was happy to go there a few times and run down the track and then after 2 or 3 outs would go back and clean up with the same dog.
Peter Dawson – Max could turn up anywhere.. any track, any time.
Greg Hore – Max is a legend of the game alright. Along with Les Merry they would have been the greatest travellers in the game.
Chris McKay- Great story
Marg Long -Love it
Christine Hardy Oldfield – Max sat at my kitchen table a few times over the years along with Les Merry.
Oh the yarns they had to tell ……priceless
Howard Culph- He kept bookies on their toes
One of Max Wintle’s stars Dashing Disco. Standing at Stud for another old mate mine and many around Australia. Rick Stamford the quite man from Tassie.
