Indictment puts on show in 2021 Publicans Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

Long-time Queensland hotelier David Gibson is happy to admit he is not an expert when it comes to greyhound form.

But, Gibson, the owner of the Walloon Hotel, among other pubs across the state, knows enough to understand that if your dog is involved with the kennel of champion trainer Tony Brett – you are likely to be on a winner.

Gibson’s Walloon Hotel was one of the many pubs and clubs around Queensland who were involved with the 2021 Publicans Cup and in the Final, they drew Brett’s rising star Indictment.

The youngster put on a show in the Final at Albion Park on Thursday night, blowing away the field by 10 lengths in a time of 29.84 seconds from the pink box.

Indictment was slow away from the outside alley and was able to settle next to the fence as they went past the winning post for the first time, before finding a perfect path through the field to score impressively.

“It was a great run the winner,” Gibson said.

“We had a pub in Gatton years ago and I got to know of Tony back then.

“He has been a top trainer for a long, long time and while I am not an expert on dogs, I do know that you cannot go wrong having a dog with a trainer like Tony.”

Indictment is now four victories from seven starts in his young career, coming from a Jury and Velocity Onyx litter.

Grandchester-based trainer Brett has now prepared Indictment to three triumphs on the trot at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club.

BGRC CEO Luke Gatehouse was impressed with the way the Brett chaser performed.

“The way that the sea parted and he was able to find the way to the fence and then slide up into second, Tony Brett has luck on his side,” Gatehouse said.

Indictment almost broke the Novice class record earlier this month and is bred out of Brisbane Cup champion Jury, who Tony also trained.

The Gibson family has been in pubs for the best part of four decades, with David describing it as a family operation that has a keen interest in racing.

“We have a heap of boys out at the pub who love their dogs and that is one of the reasons we got on board as sponsors,” Gibson said.

“We are only too happy to be involved.

“We have been in pubs for 40 years and we have been in racing in one form or another across that time, that being greyhounds and gallops, we have also owned the odd greyhound over the years, as well.

“We dabbled a bit as a hobby and had a bit of fun.

“This is probably the most luck we have ever had with greyhounds (laughs).”

As well as the Walloon Hotel for the winner Indictment, the other two place getters also received spoils from the 2021 Publicans Cup Final - Feel The Beat for the Aspley Leagues Club, who finished second, and Brett kennel mate Interrogate for the Marburg Pub was back in third position.

“The winning pub gets their name etched on the perpetual trophy and all the bragging rights that is associated with that,” Gatehouse said.

“The first three dogs home, the pub that has those dogs gets a 12-month sponsorship package with the Club.”

Across the 12 races from Albion Park on Thursday night, Raymond Burman trained a winning double.