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Flying Amy winner Photo Man in frame for Brisbane Cup

17 June 2022

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By Alex Nolan

Photo Man has put himself in the frame for next month’s $525,000 Group 1 Brisbane Cup after he staved off Amron Boy to win the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic at Albion Park.

As was the case seven days ago in a qualifying heat of the Flying Amy, Photo Man established a healthy break going down the back before Amron Boy railed through to challenge in the straight.

In almost identical scenes, Photo Man fought hard to hold Amron Boy by half-a-length in 29.77 seconds and pocket $100,000 and provide his owners Gavin Clifton and Dave MacKenzie (right) their greatest thrill in racing.

“It’s a huge thrill, a huge thrill,” Clifton said.  

“We might’ve had to come 2000km to get the biggest thrill of our lives but it was worth it.

“As much as I’d like to take him home, it’s beautiful up here in Queensland. Beautiful one day and perfect the next, as they say.”

Winning the rich Flying Amy takes Photo Man’s career prize money beyond $178,000.

Now a winner of 10 from 22 starts, the son of Aston Dee Bee arrived in Brisbane after making the Million Dollar Chase Final at Wentworth Park, before returning to Victoria for a tilt at the Harrison-Dawson and Healesville Derby.

Whelped on December 19, 2019, Photo Man only just scraped into the series for greyhounds aged 30 months and under.

Clifton and MacKenzie sent the dog to Marburg trainers Graham and Leanne Hall in preparation for the series, where he settled right in.

“Graham and Leanne Hall have been absolutely unbelievable the last two weeks,” Clifton said.

“They look after their own like you wouldn’t believe, and they looked after ours just the same.”

Clifton said the Brisbane Cup was the logical next step, but next Thursday’s Super Sprinters, should they receive a call up, would not be out of the question.

“If he pulls up a million dollars in the morning, we’ll be back on Thursday next week,” he said.

Earlier, well-travelled stayer Bedrock Fred broke through for his first group success and landed Tony Brett back-to-back wins in the $37,500 Group 3 Dashing Corsair Final over 710 metres. 

Bedrock Fred, a South Australian-owned and trained son of Spring Gun, campaigned in Brisbane a year ago before stints in Western Australia and Victoria.

Winless in two starts at Albion Park last year, including a seventh in the Group 1 Queensland Cup, Brett told owners Stewart and Cherylee Barber if they sent him back in 2022 things would be different.

He proved them right when, after landing a position outside heavily backed favourite Rohan Bale with a lap to go, the black dog put his foot down to score a commanding win in 41.60 seconds.

“He’s an out and out stayer and you know he’s just going to keep coming,” Brett said.

“The way he opened up and ran the time surprised me, but it was a great surprise.

“Stayers can take a bit of time to develop.

“Especially one like him, he was a bit unsure of himself and lacked a bit of confidence. The travelling has hardened him up.

“I couldn’t be happier for the guys in South Australia, Stewart and Cherylee Barber, to get the win with him and his first group race.”

Brett won the Dashing Corsair last year with another interstate raider in Zipping Niseko, who failed to qualify for the Group 1 Queensland Cup Final later in the carnival.

Bedrock Fred, however, earned himself a second shot at the $225,000 feature and gives Brett a chance at going back-to-back after he won it with Sir Truculent in 2021.

But before that, Bedrock Fred’s sizzling winning time on Thursday means he is likely to receive a call-up for next Thursday’s $57,500 Group 3 Super Stayers Invitational.

“That should get him a run – especially running the time,” Brett said.

“He’s put his hand up and then it’s on to the big one of course.

“It’s probably going to be one of the best Super Stayers for a long time.”

North Queensland stayer No Regrets proved she belongs in the south east when she finished second for George Clegg, with Magic Miss rounding out the minor placings for the Elson kennel.

Earlier, a small but select field of stayers contested a Free For All over the 710 metre journey, where the Ned Snow-trained Oh Oh Range returned to Queensland in winning fashion.

A littermate to Flying Amy Classic finalist Shipwreck, Oh Oh Range was having his first run back from a campaign that saw him make The 715 Final at The Gardens.

Days Of Thunder turned in a much-improved performance, flying late to grab second ahead of Sound Of Silence.

Races

8
8

Albion Park | Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club | 8:58 PM

TAB Flying Amy Classic (G2) F

6
6

Albion Park | Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club | 8:10 PM

TAB The Dashing Corsair (G3) F