Gascoigne to keep visitors guessing in Townsville Cup heats

By Isaac Murphy

Whenever interstate greyhounds make the trip for Group racing at Albion Park, it’s always beware of the locals who know every inch of their home deck.

The same principle applies for the Townsville trainers, as the Brisbane dogs arrive for the Townsville Cup Heats this Friday.

The southern raiders may have the class, but they don’t have the experience and that’s what local trainer Harold Hovi is banking on with four-year-old Gascoigne, who’s done it all at Townsville except win a Cup.

In terms of age, Gascoigne is well past his prime but he’s not showing it in his results, as he still dominates the Townsville dogs.

“He’s in his twilight days now at well over four-years-old, but the way he’s racing and bouncing around at home he’s telling us he wants more, we’ll keep him going until he doesn’t,” Hovi said.

“We’ll know when his time’s up because he’s such a consistent dog at the track, whether it’s the 380, 498 or 643 metres he’s still more than competitive, it’s not often you get a dog you can trust as much as him.

“I was really pleased to see him mix it with Jasper The Jet and Bumpy Black in the prelude last week, he had a tough middle draw and still ran a good third behind two class dogs.”

Hovi concedes things only get tougher with box eight in a heat, which also features Rockhampton Cup Champion Shakey Diesel, but he’s hoping last week’s sparring partner Jasper The Jet can help him early from the draw.

“I’ve had a bit of a look at his heat, some of the Brisbane dogs look pretty handy, but Jasper The Jet drawn in box seven is a good form guide for us,” Hovi said.

“He ran good time to beat us last week, and with his early pace will hopefully bring us across from box eight with him.

“If he can stay within a few lengths of them he’s always a chance, and if a gap opens up he’ll take it, he’s just got to get around that first turn and he’ll be in the finish.

“The Townsville Cup is our holy grail up here and even though it’s going to be tough for him, it’s a big thrill to have a dog in the race who knows the track, where some of the visitors can be a bit wobbly first-up.”

Hovi said age had taken away some of his dog’s early explosiveness but he had more than compensated with his run on ability.

“When we first got him last December he was fairly spritely out of the boxes and could really get out quick and lead over the sprint trip, but as he’s got a bit older he’s a little more dour at the start and winds up with a big finish,” he said.

“Box draws are very important at this stage of his career, he still comes out with them but it just takes him twenty yards to muster and depending on where he’s drawn and who’s drawn around him it can make or break his race.

“What he’s lost in early speed he’s made up for in strength, I never thought I’d see him winning up over 600 metres by seven lengths which he did only a few starts ago.”

Hovi only got acquainted with Gascoigne last December as a long-time owner brought him up to Townsville, and despite the late start the dog has 12 of his 22 career wins at the track after spending most of his career in New South Wales.

“A bloke I train for Laurie Wode brought him up to me and asked me if I wanted to have a go with him, he told me he’d had a good career around the rural New South Wales tracks and it all sounded good until he told me he was three-and-a-half - but I took him anyway,” Hovi Laughed.

“Aren’t I pleased I said yes, he came out and won his first three starts over the 380 metres, but we wanted to get him to the 498 where he became a Free For All winner and now he’s taken to the 643 metre trip as well.”

Hovi is enjoying the ride the greyhound has taken him on, and as a late starter himself he’s more than happy staying low key.

“I started training in 2010, I’d recently retired and went to a barbeque one afternoon and had a few beers and came home with a greyhound and I’ve been training out of my place at Gumlu and racing at Townsville ever since,” he laughed.

“It all turned out well, we only have a small team and we’ve just got the five in work at the moment which is probably the maximum amount I want, it’s important that I get time to put in with each dog individually.”