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Hooked on Scotch hungry for a taste of Brisbane Cup

15 June 2020

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By Isaac Murphy

Hooked-On-Scotch-with-JT-768x432.jpgVictorian-based Hooked On Scotch is one of the hottest commodities in Australia greyhound racing, and the Jason and Seona Thompson product has the Group 1’s and track records to boot.

 Now, three runs back from a significant injury the dog faces adversity not for the first time in his career coming to Queensland to try to win the Group 1 Brisbane Cup.

Jason Thompson spoke about the dog’s path back to the top and the ideal timing of Brisbane’s crown jewel sprint race.

“He was on his way back from a pretty significant layoff and we wanted him to be as close to 100% when we did get him back, so we could head straight for a Group race and the Brisbane Cup has fallen just in the right window for him,” Thompson said.

“He’s won Group races in Tasmania and South Australia; Queensland was somewhere he hasn’t been tested before and with the field expected up there he’s going to have to be at his best.”

Hooked on Scotch was fresh off a $75,000 pay day in Tasmania late last year when he was struck down by the stopper issue, but Thompson remains optimistic he can return to his freakish best.

“He was at the peak of his powers when he had his stopper injury and the layoff wasn’t ideal, but with any injury we just did our due diligence and got him back in good shape,” he said.

“The one thing you can’t do when you’re rehabbing an injury is race and that’s what it’s all about for him now getting the runs in his legs.

“He missed four months of racing and has only had the three runs back since; the more races we can get into him we hope he can even become a better dog than he was before the injury.”

The signs are promising thus far with two wins from three starts at home in Victoria, and Thompson now gets him up to caretaker trainer Tony Brett who went post-to-post with him at Albion yesterday; impressive 11.80 and 12.27 splits en route to a 24.07 clip.

“He’s gone up in exceptional order; Tony (Brett) was very happy with his performance trial yesterday, he’ll get another tune up in the Super Sprinters on Thursday on his way to next week’s heats, “Thompson said.

“Getting him up there for a trial and a race at the track is all geared towards trying to win the Brisbane Cup and with his fair share of luck we think he can do that.

“We feel like we’ve done every in our power to get him to his target just at the right time, we’re confident he’ll give himself the best chance.”

The two-and-a-half-year-old is well travelled, having been on the Group circuit and Thompson doesn’t see any reason why the fast finisher won’t enjoy Albion Park.

“There are always a few question marks coming to a new track, but that’s why we got him up there early,” Thompson said.

“Even if he puts in a bad one this Thursday, he gets it out of the way before next week.

“He’s been on hit-and-run trips like this to Adelaide and Hobart where he’s won Group races and has adapted to pretty much everything - we’ve shown him, the track won’t be an issue.”

Hooked On Scotch has been going up against the best almost from day dot and Thompson said he’d welcome the challenge of facing other dogs with similar reputations.

“It looks like they’re going to be pretty serious heats and finals with dogs coming up from down our way like Simon Told Helen and Oh Mickey is a star locally,” Thompson said.

“We give those dogs a lot of respect, but you’ve got to worry about your own and Hooked On Scotch is a genuine Group 1 dog so we expect him to come up against Group 1 company.”

COVID-19 restrictions don’t allow Thompson to travel with the dog in his name, but the consolation is that he will go to trusted friend and master trainer Tony Brett.

“I’d love to be bringing him up myself but obviously circumstances prevent that, and we get the second-best thing sending him up to one of the best trainers in Australia who knows how to win a Group 1 at Albion Park better than most,” he said.

“We were in a similar position last year with Black Opium who was with Tony for a good five weeks and she came back in immaculate order.”

With the expected hype around Hooked On Scotch, punters shouldn’t forget about Black Opium.

The champion kennel mate recently captured her elusive Group 1 The Sapphire Crown and has business to finish here in Queensland.

“Black Opium will be there Friday, with her experience spending plenty of time In Queensland and racing at Albion Park last year we thought she could probably go straight into the heats next Thursday,” Thompson said.

“She’s not going any slower than she was last year when she ran second to Sennachie when he knocked over the track record.

“She’ll trial Sunday just to get re-accustomed with the place and hopefully with a little bit of luck in the heats she’ll as good a chance as any in the final.”