Fred Basset (greyhound)
Encyclopedia
Fred Basset is a greyhound
dog which was owned and raced by Australia
n 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. Since retiring from racing, Fred Basset has become an ambassador for greyhound adoption
.
was nominated for the 2006 Cleo
Bachelor of the Year competition. Hamish Blake
took $860 (initially intended for a holiday for himself and his girlfriend) and won over $12000 for betting on Andy to win.
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 & Andy purchased the greyhound for $9,000.
-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 have remained supportive.
Fred then went on to win the Perth Greyhound Race Day with a fairly convincing lead.
, 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.
, Fred backed up his first win with another victory, beating Nitrix in a close finish.
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. Fred's celebrity status meant that he attracted media attention even when he failed to win.
In the 2007 Good Friday Appeal
race, Fred won against two other greyhounds. Hamish & Andy donated half of his winnings to the 2007 Good Friday Appeal.
In June 2007 Fred had a bad fall in a race and was forced out of racing until he recovered.
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.
Fred Basset now makes promotional and celebrity appearances at various events. He is also an ambassador for the Greyhound Adoption Program.
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 1 in 9 chance.
After Fred's disappointing performance in his first race, it has been 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".
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
dog which was owned and raced by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n comedy duo Hamish & Andy
Hamish & Andy
Hamish & Andy are an Australian comedy duo formed in 2003 by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. They currently host the radio program The Hamish & Andy Show which airs in Australia on the Today Network....
. The dog's name is taken from the comic strip character Fred Basset
Fred Basset
Fred Basset is a comic strip about a male basset hound. The cartoon was created by Scottish cartoonist Alex Graham and published first in the Daily Mail on July 8, 1963. It has since been syndicated around the world....
, whose strip featured regularly on the Hamish & Andy
Hamish & Andy (radio show)
The Hamish & Andy Show , is an Australian radio show created by and starring comedic duo Hamish Blake & Andy Lee. It was broadcast on the Today Network to every state in Australia as well as the ACT for two hours in the key weekday afternoon drivetime slot. Since December 3, 2010, it has moved to...
radio show. Since retiring from racing, Fred Basset has become an ambassador for greyhound adoption
Greyhound adoption
Greyhound adoption or Greyhound rescue programs focus on finding homes for Greyhounds who are no longer needed for racing. In some countries they live in kennels at the track....
.
The search for a greyhound
Andy LeeAndy Lee (comedian)
Andrew Thomas "Andy" Lee is an Australian comedian. He usually works alongside Hamish Blake as part of the comedy duo Hamish & Andy.-Personal background:...
was nominated for the 2006 Cleo
Cleo (magazine)
CLEO is an Australian, New Zealand, South African, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thailand and Indonesian women's magazine.Aimed at an older audience than the teenage-focused Dolly, the magazine is known for its CLEO Bachelor of the Year award....
Bachelor of the Year competition. Hamish Blake
Hamish Blake
Hamish Donald Blake is an Australian comedian, actor, author and bodybuilder from Melbourne, Australia. Since 2003, he has worked with Andy Lee as part of the comedy duo Hamish and Andy. The pair have performed live and on television and radio, most notably with their drive-time radio program...
took $860 (initially intended for a holiday for himself and his girlfriend) and won over $12000 for betting on Andy to win.
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 & Andy purchased the greyhound for $9,000.
The People's Greyhound
Fred's journey has been a regular feature on Hamish and Andy's MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based afternoon drivetime
DriveTime
DriveTime Automotive Group Inc., based in Phoenix, Arizona, is the largest used car seller and automobile finance company focusing on buyers with credit problems. The company has 88 dealerships in 36 U.S. metropolitan areas, and more than 2000 employees...
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
Sandown Raceway
Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately south east of the city centre. It is considered a power circuit with its front straight being 899m long and back straight 910m long.-History:...
(which was named The Hamish and Andy Stakes), but fans have remained supportive.
Fred then went on to win the Perth Greyhound Race Day with a fairly convincing lead.
Celebrity endorsement
Hamish & Andy competed to find a celebrity who could relate to dogs, who would endorse Fred Basset. Hamish chose to pursue Paris HiltonParis Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
, since she owns a 'tea cup' chihuahua
Chihuahua (dog)
The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
, while Andy chose John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
. After fruitless phone calls to American Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
churches, followed up with a call to Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
, Andy managed to find a representative from Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
promising to find Travolta's details. After a few more days of dead ends, Hamish then received Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
's mobile phone number but was unable to obtain his endorsement. Currently Mike Whitney
Mike Whitney
Michael Roy Whitney is an Australian television personality and former cricketer, who played in 12 Tests and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993....
officially endorses Fred.
Track Record
After his first loss, Fred won at Albion Park in Brisbane. Later on at Angle Park Raceway in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Fred backed up his first win with another victory, beating Nitrix in a close finish.
Race 4 on 11 November 2006 at Cannington Raceway in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
drew large crowds, however even with the support of Mike Whitney
Mike Whitney
Michael Roy Whitney is an Australian television personality and former cricketer, who played in 12 Tests and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993....
and hundreds of Fred Basset fans, he could not achieve a podium place and finished fourth. Fred's celebrity status meant that he attracted media attention even when he failed to win.
In the 2007 Good Friday Appeal
Good Friday Appeal
The Good Friday Appeal is a fundraising activity on behalf of the Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. In 2010, the appeal raised A$14,462,000....
race, Fred won against two other greyhounds. Hamish & Andy donated half of his winnings to the 2007 Good Friday Appeal.
In June 2007 Fred had a bad fall in a race and was forced out of racing until he recovered.
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.
Fred Basset now makes promotional and celebrity appearances at various events. He is also an ambassador for the Greyhound Adoption Program.
Fred the psychic
Fred Bassett enjoys chicken McNuggets, and is referred to as "the McNugget loving champion". Hamish & Andy tried to use Fred's taste for McNuggets to predict the future. Before the two football grand finals of 2006 (NRLNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
) were played, the boys performed two experiments. On one paper plate they wrote 'Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
' and on another they wrote 'Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
' (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
Guy Mutton
Guy Christopher Mutton, also known as Mutto , is an Australian singer, a Top 12 contestant in the fourth season of Australian Idol and lead singer of the Gold Coast based rock band, Soulframe....
would be voted off Australian Idol
Australian Idol (season 4)
The fourth season of Australian Idol first episode aired on 6 August 2006 and concluded on 26 November.-Format Changes:Changes for the fourth season of Australian Idol included the cancellation of "Inside Idol"; a "streamlined" semi-finals ; and the contestants will be able to bring...
, a 1 in 9 chance.
After Fred's disappointing performance in his first race, it has been 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".