Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

Maurice Minor scorches Ipswich track in trial

6 October 2018

Share this page

Share on a platform

Or copy the page link

“He’s a fast animal” was the best way trainer Tom Tzouvelis could describe his kennel star Maurice Minor following another blistering trial by the Million Dollar Chase hopeful at Ipswich yesterday.

For the second time this year the three-year-old dog came close to lowering a track record in an individual trial, when he ran 24.83sec over the 431m.

Prior to running a luckless fifth in the Group 1 Nationals Sprint Final at Sandown in August, Maurice Minor ran 22.33 in a 395m Albion Park trial – just 0.03sec outside the track record.

Although he hasn’t stood atop the winners’ podium since August 9 when winning the Queensland Sprint Final, Tzouvelis believes Maurice Minor is in ‘career best form’.

“He’s a fast animal. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

“When he trials on his own it shows what he can do with a clean run.”

Another luckless run in last weekend’s Million Dollar Chase heat at Wentworth Park saw him finish second to Despacito. However, he’ll have the chance to amend in one of eight semi-finals at the Sydney track next Friday night.

“It was a super effort considering he’d only had one trial at Wenty and he went around in 29.78. We expect him to improve and judging by the way he went in the heats, he can go a lot faster.

Tzouvelis marveled at his greyhound’s ability to adapt to the many tracks he’s stepped out on since debuting on 25 January 2017.

“He was immature as a puppy and it took him a long time to hit his straps. But he’s been racing in Group races since he was two years old,” he said.

“He’s raced in every state of Australia other than WA.”

Tzouvelis and Maurice Minor will look to book their spot in the $1 million final next Friday, and may look to travel further south to The Meadows for the Hume Cup on November 5.

“Obviously we’d love to also have him in a Melbourne Cup,” Tzouvelis said.

“If he’s going good enough (come December) the Brisbane Cup would also be lovely.”