Fred Basset (greyhound)

Fred Basset (born 4 October 2004) is a greyhound dog which was owned and raced by Australian comedy duo Hamish & Andy. The dog's name is taken from the comic strip character Fred Basset, whose strip featured regularly on the Hamish & Andy radio show.[1] Since retiring from racing, Fred Basset has become an ambassador for greyhound adoption.[2]

This article is about the Hamish and Andy Show greyhound. For the UK-based comic strip, see Fred Basset.

Fred Basset
Other name(s)Hoppa
BreedGreyhound
SexMale
Born (2004-10-04) 4 October 2004
Australia
OccupationGreyhound racing
Years active2006 – present
OwnerHamish and Andy
Parent(s)Awesome Assassin, Taylah Ruth
Weight32 kg (71 lb)
AppearanceBlack
Named afterFred Basset
Fred Basset

History

The search for a greyhound

Andy Lee was nominated for the 2006 Cleo Bachelor of the Year competition.[3] Hamish Blake took $860 (initially intended for a holiday for himself and his girlfriend) and won over $12000 for betting on Andy to win.[4]

Listeners suggestions led to the duo continuing gambling. The pair found "Ange the Dog Whisperer", a greyhound trainer who provided a greyhound sired by Awesome Assassin. On 26 August 2006, this greyhound was named Fred Basset after receiving 77% of listeners' votes. In September 2006, Hamish and Andy purchased the greyhound for $9,000.[5]

The People's Greyhound

Fred's journey was a regular feature on Hamish and Andy's Melbourne-based afternoon drivetime radio show since Andy won Bachelor of the Year. Through every step of the journey, the boys have pushed the idea that Fred is "The People's Greyhound", purportedly since without the continued support of the listeners, Andy would never have won.

Fans of the show flocked to Fred Basset's first ever race in Melbourne on 12 October 2006. Unfortunately he placed last in Race 4 at Sandown Raceway (which was named The Hamish and Andy Stakes), but fans remained supportive. Fred then went on to win the Perth Greyhound Race Day with a fairly convincing lead.[6]

Celebrity endorsement

Hamish and Andy competed to find a celebrity who could relate to dogs, who would endorse Fred Basset. Hamish chose to pursue Paris Hilton, since she owns a 'tea cup' chihuahua, while Andy chose John Travolta. After fruitless phone calls to American Scientology churches, followed up with a call to Qantas, Andy managed to find a representative from Football Federation Australia promising to find Travolta's details. After a few more days of dead ends, Hamish then received Kiefer Sutherland's mobile phone number but was unable to obtain his endorsement. Currently, Mike Whitney officially endorses Fred.[7]

Track record

After his first loss, Fred won at Albion Park in Brisbane.[8] Later on at Angle Park Raceway in Adelaide, Fred backed up his first win with another victory, beating Nitrix in a close finish.[9]

Race 4 on 11 November 2006 at Cannington Raceway in Perth drew large crowds, however even with the support of Mike Whitney and hundreds of Fred Basset fans, he could not achieve a podium place and finished fourth.[10] Fred's celebrity status meant that he attracted media attention even when he failed to win.[11]

In the 2007 Good Friday Appeal race,[12] Fred won against two other greyhounds. Hamish and Andy donated half of his winnings to the 2007 Good Friday Appeal.[13]

In June 2007 Fred had a bad fall in a race and was forced out of racing until he recovered.[14]

Fred Basset last raced on 12 March 2008. He started in 57 races, for 8 first placings, 11 seconds and 13 thirds. His total prizemoney was $19,720.[15]

Fred Basset now makes promotional and celebrity appearances at various events.[16][17][18] He is also an ambassador for the Greyhound Adoption Program.[19]

Fred the psychic

Fred Bassett enjoys chicken McNuggets, and is referred to as "the McNugget-loving champion". Hamish and Andy tried to use Fred's taste for McNuggets to predict the future. Before the two football grand finals of 2006 (NRL and AFL) were played, the boys performed two experiments. On one paper plate they wrote Broncos and on another they wrote Storm (these being the two teams who played in the NRL grand final) and placed one McNugget on each. Fred chose the Broncos McNugget, and after that the Broncos went on to win the match. The boys then did the same thing for the AFL, putting a nugget on one plate that read Swans, and another that read Eagles with Fred successfully choosing the winning team, the Eagles, once more.

Since these two key predictions, Fred also has successfully forecast that Mutto would be voted off Australian Idol, a one in nine chance.

After Fred's disappointing performance in his first race, it was decided (by Fred himself in a final McNugget choice) that he would choose to race and give up the McNuggets rather than continue as a "psychic lazy dog".

Results
Colour Result
Blue1st
GreenPlace
PlaceBoxWeightDistanceTrackRaceDateTimeMargin
3632.8525MEAR32 August 200630.776253.75
S--520DTOR227 September 2006--
1133450BALR120 September 200625.5610
1232.8450BALR327 September 200625.46.5
8132.8515SANR412 October 200631.0862513.75
1633.1520BGCR619 October 200630.473
1232.6515APKR626 October 200629.850.5
4632.7530CANR411 November 200631.3962
1832.6457GELR620 November 200625.756
3532.8525MEAR425 November 200630.6117
3532.6515SANR930 November 200630.47655.5
3332.8457GELR68 December 200625.8962
3233450BALR1113 December 200625.694054.35
6533525MEAR723 December 200631.57117
R--525MEAR130 December 2006--
4533450BALR63 January 200726.006757.25
S--525MEAR26 January 2007--
3233457GELR42 March 200726.106253.75
3533.6457GELR59 March 200726.211752.25
3733.4525MEAR217 March 200730.63956.5
3433.2515SANR522 March 200730.215256.75
5533.2515SANR1029 March 200730.670766.52
7733.4525MEAR1014 April 200730.9547513.25
2633.4450WBLR125 April 200725.580251.75
1633.4450WBLR92 May 200725.480.5
4533.2525MEAR89 May 200730.840755.25
4533.4457GELR518 May 200726.03354.5
1133.4457GELR625 May 200725.820.25
2133.4515SANR630 May 200730.14451.5
F632.8515SANR37 June 2007--
2732.8525MEAR1016 June 200730.6324
7533.6525MEAR620 June 200731.1127519.25
6633480HORR526 June 200728.3910
S--525MEAR330 June 2007--
R--450WBLR811 July 2007--
2333.4515SANR312 July 200730.31150.5
3333.2515SANR719 July 200730.523252.75
2432.8515SANR926 July 200730.387250.75
2232.8515SANR92 August 200730.02630.1
5233515SANR39 August 200730.8350511.35
5633.2525MEAR118 August 200730.838257.75
1133.2457GELR624 August 200725.650.75
7433.4515SANR930 August 200730.75816
7533.4515SANR85 September 200730.937512.5
2433.4480HORR611 September 200727.545750.25
2133.4525MEAR415 September 200730.23053.5
2233.4480HORR818 September 200727.4131
4133.4457GELR828 September 200726.26354.5
4733.4525MEAR96 October 200730.46655.5
5633.4525MEAR810 October 200731.1447513.25
4333.6480HORR716 October 200728.235256.75
3434480HORR630 October 200727.853756.25
4634457GELR62 November 200725.954753.25
S--515SANR46 November 2007--
3834.5457GELR623 November 200725.879254.75
2134.4450BALR728 November 200725.5693
5434.2450WBLR85 December 200726.081258.75
3233.8440SLER79 December 200725.594259.75
8734.1515SANR320 December 200731.3197518.25
4234.3457GELR628 December 200725.857055.35
4134.4450BALR32 January 200825.9431
2334.4332WBLR95 March 200819.49752.5
7134.4332WBLR912 March 200819.73311

References
  1. "Fred Basset's Kennel". fox.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. Twining, James (10 June 2008). "The people's greyhound". Wyndham Leader. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  3. "Andy Lee bachelor of the year". news.com.au. 15 September 2006. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  4. Gatehouse, Luke (November 2006). "Journal" (PDF). 199. Greyhound Racing Authority of Qld: 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. "X X X". austereo.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  6. "Fred Basset's first race: a montage". nuts.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  7. Willis, Charlotte (6 February 2013). "Best-known Aussie game show hosts: Where are they now?". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  8. "Fred Right on Script". graq.org.au. 19 October 2006. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  9. Meegan, Genevieve (29 October 2006). "Fred sets pace for radio lads". news.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  10. Evans, Craig (14 November 2006). "The people's greyhound a big hit on track". mandurahmail.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  11. Atwell, Glen (29 March 2007). "Fred Basset just wouldn't listen". senews.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  12. Gladman, Simon (6 April 2007). "http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2007/04/06/2701_news.html". geelongadvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2009. External link in |title= (help)
  13. "Fred shares the love and his cash". news.com.au. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  14. "Fred Down and Out for Two Weeks". racingandsports.com.au. 8 June 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  15. "Fred Basset". Greyhound Racing Victoria. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  16. Pitstock, Kevin (7 November 2008). "Greyhound Adoption Program Christmas Party On November 16th". australianracinggreyhound.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  17. Pitstock, Kevin (19 December 2008). "Bendigo Greyhound Racing Club Celebrates 30 Years". australianracinggreyhound.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  18. Swan, Kate (15 August 2009). "Hound track goes green". Hume Leader. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  19. "Fred Basset Goes Green". racingforum.com.au. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
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