Cooper Dooper produces a blast from the past

By Isaac Murphy

There were plenty of upsets when Listed racing returned to Albion Park a fortnight ago and the trend has continued with the biggest boil over yet on Thursday night. 

Tommy Tzouvelis’ Cooper Dooper (pictured) was just too good in his Listed Carnival Chase Heat at a whopping price of $71.

It wasn’t the only cause for celebration for the kennel, who landed the quinella with Mitchell Street running a bold second.

The favourites in the race, Extra Malt and All Hands Off, were never given a look.

Kennel representative Jedda Cutlack is a huge part of the Tzouvelis operation, working with the dogs day in day out, and was understandably thrilled with Cooper Dooper’s unlikely win.

“He doesn’t owe us anything this dog, what he’s already achieved running behind Simon Told Helen in a Group 2 Queensland Derby is an amazing effort, but I think tonight’s a shock more than anything,” Cutlack said.

“You have to go all the way back to last year for his last win in the heats of the Million Dollar Chase at Lismore, he’s been in free for all company at home ever since that’s the reason he’s struggled.

“He was one race away from being eligible for master’s before tonight, he’s going on four years of age, but we can shelve those plans for now and look forward to next week and maybe a Brisbane Cup shot.”

Cutlack hopes it may be a part of a renaissance for the dog who’s still showing flashes of his 2019 best.

“He’s been going great guns at home he just hasn’t been able to find the box speed to put himself in winning positions,” Cutlack said.

“If you make one mistake against the likes of Extra Malt or All Hands Off your race is all but over, thankfully things fell into place.

“Mitchell Street did a great job running interference out in front and the way Cooper travelled into it on the home corner I knew he was going to run away with it.”

Cutlack was full of praise for runner-up Mitchell Street who’s shown the consistency Cooper Dooper has sometimes lacked.

“Mitchell Street is just so honest; he was unlucky finding one better in Orchestrate in the Rockhampton Cup and has been trying his heart out against the best dogs since coming back,” she said.

“We thought he could probably lead tonight and get scooped up by some of the stronger dogs coming around the home turn, but if he keeps getting out in front there’ll be a race for him soon.

“He’s as quick as anything to the home turn, he always feels the pinch that last fifty metres considering he’s not an out and out five hundred metre dog he does a great job.”

Cutlack splits her time between training her own dogs and working with Tzouvelis, who’s provided the aspiring trainer with a top education.

“It’s extremely rewarding personally Tom Tzouvelis trusts me to spend plenty of time working with both of those dogs and I’m just stoked to see them in a Listed final,” Cutlack said.

“It’ll be the same situation next week in the final, they’ll be up against some better dogs, but we weren’t even expecting to have them there in the first place.

“Who knows what a win like that will do for Cooper and wherever Mitchell Street draws he’ll be looking for the front.”

Farmor Beach finds form

The second heat saw multiple Group winner Farmor Beach dig deep to break a run of outs, overcoming box five and a chequered past to win the race, which could propel him back to his brilliant best for the Scott kennel.

Now four runs back in Brisbane after making the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg Final at Wentworth Park, the chaser was cherry ripe to go.

“That’s a massive win for the dog’s confidence, he did it the hard way as well he looked like he jumped pretty well, but was shuffled back to third down the back where he got a bit of a check from Kooringa Lucy,” Scott said.

“That stopped his momentum at a pretty critical point of the race and that takes a lot of guts to pick up again and run them down.

“I’d like to see him on the arm running time, but it was all about getting back in the winner’s circle tonight and if we can draw a box next week, we’re going to see the best of him.”

Brilliant start to Bad and Boujee’s staying career

All eyes were on the fifth grade 700 metre race with Ninetymile King making his anticipated debut over the trip.

And, while he stuck on for a gallant second, it was all about Paul McIlveen’s bitch Bad and Boujee, who surprised even her trainer.

“I had her over the 600 here her last start and she just didn’t fire a shot, was out the back early and couldn’t get anywhere near them,” McIlveen said.

“It’s been a while, but she has run well over the 630 metres at Ipswich, so I thought why not throw her in a 700 small field and see how she does.

“I was ecstatic to see her get the money but when I saw the semaphore board put up 42.12 seconds it blew me away, I might have to adjust my expectations going forward and see if she can make it to a Queensland Cup.”

Richardson relishing the 600 metre start

Ninetymile King has vacated the middle-distance throne, stepping up to the 700 metres, and it’s taken Barsandi no time to install herself as the new Queen over 600 metres for trainer Dave Richardson.

The bitch entered Thursday’s fourth and fifth grade contest off two lightning Monday night wins and lived up to her short quote winning in 34.76 seconds to remain unbeaten at the distance.

“When she was racing over the sprint she was jumping with the other dogs and being a slight bitch, she kept getting caught in traffic," he said. 

“Her first start at 600 metres, she led them by about five lengths at the first turn and got out quick again tonight (9.74) which is setting up the back section of her race.

“This is only her first Thursday night win, so we’ll persist over the 600 metres while she goes through her grades and I’ve got no doubt she’ll become a stayer when the time’s right.”

Ripping win for Apap’s well-bred pup

Call me Rip has announced himself as a pup to watch for Tony Apap in the past few weeks and he found his way to the front for his third straight win his Novice on Thursday night.

The dog’s only in the infancy of his career but looks like a more polished product each time out, running his quickest win yet in 30.03 seconds, despite being hampered early.

“We gave him a test tonight coming up against Thursday company for the first time and he passed with flying colours,” Apap said.

“He began nicely but found himself in a bit of trouble when he was squeezed up early from the five, but to his credit he found his way to the rail and went out after them.

“He’s out of Fernando Bale and Simply an Angel and is a half brother to Pump It, the way he races he’ll have no trouble getting over more distance as he matures.”