Lee dreaming of Dave Brett success

By Isaac Murphy

The Dave Brett Memorial remains one of Queensland’s most revered maiden series decades after its inception, and the 2020 class look like they’re right up to the standard following some sparkling performances in last week’s heats.

Daniel Lee’s Nando Dreamer charged away from the field up the home straight clocking, 30.11 on debut into a fierce headwind.

Going into tonight’s Final, he has drawn box six and the trainer needs luck on his side but knows the ability is already there.

“If you’re going to win a race like the Dave Brett, you’ve got to have a lot of ability and at 20 months she’d shown us she could trial in the low 30s there, so I thought I’d save her for the heats,” Lee said.

“We’ve managed to get a few field trials for her, one of which she sat on the outside of a dog and went past, then in her heat we saw her go up the fence.

“It’s good to see her learning on the job so quickly.

“You’ve got to make young dog’s experiences positive because whatever they learn early is usually going to stick with them for their career and this bitch looks like she can run time and think a bit while she’s doing it.”

Lee once trained alongside Dave Brett and has now seen his son Tony turn into one of Australia’s best and would love to add a Dave Brett title to the trophy case.

“I made the decision to come to the Dave Brett about six to eight weeks ago, I usually don’t start bitches until they’re a bit older but it’s a race I’ve always wanted to win and what she was doing on the trial track measured up,” he said.

“I actually first met Dave as a trainer in Mackay, he had a lot of success with dogs at the Gabba and I remember Tony there as a teenager soaking it all up.

“Dave was a very good man with a dog and an even better person, so it’s great to see this race and Tony’s career be as successful as they are.”

Lee said the class of the Final is clear to see by a couple of the dogs who missed out and will be hoping for some good fortune out of his box six draw.

“I was ecstatic just to get through to the Final, you only have to look at the dogs who missed out to know the quality of this week’s Final,” he said.

“Street Cry came out and won in 30.25 in a one act affair for Tony (Brett) on Monday after finishing third in the heats and Brother Jason for Peter Sullivan went 29.9 winning later that night.

“I’m hoping Connie’s Lass for Greg Stella in box four will get out and carve across like she did in the heats and that’ll give us a bit of space in the middle of the track to get a clear run to the first turn.”

Nando Dreamer stalked the leader and took off in her heat, and is Lee hoping she can put herself on the speed again to be a genuine chance.

“My girl isn’t a brilliant beginner but she’s pretty faultless, I’d be very surprised if she missed it and if she can just improve half a length she could be pressing for the front,” he said.

“She might have to lead to win because even though we ran home in 12.71 last week, Rob Cooke’s dog Cash Stack went 12.62 on the way home.

“If we do get out in front I’d say Rob’s two dogs (Cash View and Cash Stack) are the only two who’ll have a chance of running us down, but it’s a race you’re going to see a lot of good pups kick on to have big careers I think.”

Lee said he’d been getting plenty of congratulations during the week but had to remind himself the bitch was only just getting started.

“I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what she can go on and become, but I’ve got to remember in realistic terms all she’s done so far is win a maiden,” he said.

“She’s got all the traits of a good bitch long term, but you never know with injuries and placing her right, it’s up to me to get the most out of her now.

“It’d be some way to start a career to take out the Dave Brett, but as I said just about all eight of those dogs are capable.”

Nando Dreaming is sired by Fernando Bale and whelped by Claude Dacey’s brood bitch Jeannie Dreaming, and Lee has worked closely with the veteran trainer over recent years.

“Claude and I have been good mates for several years now and I trained Love The Look for him, so when Jeannie Dreaming had 12 pups, I said I’d love to have a couple of bitches, because he prefers dogs,” he said.

“Six months later he gave me a call and offered me her to train and another one who’s still a way off the track, but she’ll be alright once she takes the time to learn.

“For now, I’ll be concentrating on getting this bitch in some nice age races and just making sure I’m not overracing her because the best is yet to come.”