Star stayer to lead Queensland's hopes on the national stage

By Jordan Gerrans 

The Sunshine State's voice of greyhound racing believes the distance Final of the upcoming National Championships is where Queensland’s greatest chance lies to claim a coveted title.

The three Queensland Finals have been run and won, deciding the maroon representation in the national deciders later this month.

Champion conditioner Tony Brett booked Milligan’s position down the straight at Capalaba on Sunday afternoon, just days after the Elson kennel’s Magical Cyndie caused an upset in the sprint division, while short favourite Days of Thunder confirmed her slot over the staying trip.

And, the distance Final is where Queensland’s best chance of lifting a national title will be, according to race caller John Brasch.

The three Final winners – as well as runner-up Bogie Fury down the straight – will represent their home state in their respective national Finals later this month.

Form student and race caller, Brasch, has identified Warren Nicholls’ white bitch as Queensland’s best hope of the three in the national spotlight.

“That was a huge run by Days of Thunder last Thursday night where she came from,” Brasch said.

“She was 10 to 15 lengths off them and she is going to be probably give them a long start at Wentworth Park.

“On recent form, she is in with a very, very good chance.”

Days of Thunder will jump with the green rug in the 720 metre Final at Wentworth Park.

As Churchable trainer Nicholls noted during the recent winter carnival, Days of Thunder has come of age in recent months, following a number of interstate experiences chasing feature prize money in the early stages of 2022.

“She just gets better with racing,” Nicholls said at the time.

“She has been brilliant; we have been really excited with how she has gone.”

As the hot favourite, Days Of Thunder claimed the 710 metre Queensland decider in 41.99 seconds.

Brasch keeps as close an eye on the dogs as anyone and can see a clear difference in Days of Thunder’s performances of late.

“She has certainly switched herself on, there used to be two Days of Thunder’s, one week she would put in and the following week, she would not,” Brasch says.

“It has just seemed like the trip away has made her come back a totally different dog. She is a real race dog now.”

The distance and sprint Finals will both be run at Wentworth Park, with Cynthia Elson’s veteran sprinter Magical Cyndie also drawing six in the Final.

Magical Cyndie was a shock winner of the Queensland decider – getting the money at $51 – but there is no doubting her career achievements, running in the top two in more than half of her 99 efforts at the races.

The black bitch is likely to again start as an outsider in the market at Wentworth Park but Brasch feels she will give herself a chance.

“One thing in her favour is her good early pace,” Brasch said of Magical Cyndie’s chances.

“But, the box draw is a bit of a concern for her in the six, she may get trapped off the track.

“She will have her century of starts on the night, if she does not start between then and now, and she has been a grand old campaigner at Albion Park for the Elson team.

“She has been very competitive and her early pace is a positive.”

While the winner of the Queensland Finals goes through to the circle track races, the quinella in the straight racing makes it through, with Milligan to be joined by Ryan Ayres’ Bogie Fury.

Milligan’s breed-owner Steve Williams is excited to see his straight star in action at Richmond later this month.

“That dog of Ryan Ayres' Bogie Fury is a really great dog up Capalaba,” Williams told the Greyhound Recorder.

“He flew out and led our bloke easily, but Milligan was just too strong at the end.

“Tony has been confident all week.

“It’s great they have both made the Final at Richmond and it all depends on where they draw for the final and especially how they trial.”

The all-important box draw for the straight Final over 324 metres is yet to be held, with Brasch believing it will be key to the Queensland dog’s chances.

“There is no better conditioner in feature races than Tony Brett,” he said.

“The dog will be very, very competitive.

“It will be about how the dog handles going down the straight on the arm, compared to the drag.

“It will all depend on the box draw and we will not know that until after next Saturday.”

With Bogie Fury to join Capalaba winner Milligan, Brasch thinks the leading two straight dogs in the state will be represented on the big stage.

First place is worth $75,000 in both the sprint and distance Finals with $25,000 on offer for the straight chasers.  

Champion trainer Brett has been successful on the National Championship stage earlier in his tenure.

Described as a boom youngster back in 2017, Jury took out the Group 1 National Sprint Championship at Albion Park.

Legend Queensland dog Dashing Corsair holds the rare title of winning two of the three Finals, claiming the staying event in 2011 at Albion Park, as well as the sprint title in Perth back in 2009.