By Jordan Gerrans
Top Victorian trainer Jeffrey Britton enjoyed a well-earned holiday up on the Sunshine Coast this week, making the drive down to Albion Park on Thursday afternoon for a night at the races.
In holiday mode up at Mooloolaba, the leading trainer was able to book two of his kennel in big Group Finals in seven days’ time.
Chris Georgiou, who bred Group 1 Gold Bullion hopeful Do It, handled the dogs for Britton on Thursday evening so the respected conditioner can have a summer break.
The son of Fernando Bale was the first to book their position in the $300,000 Final, claiming the first Gold Bullion heat, not long after kennel mate Hank The Hustler won through to the Group 3 Final of the Gold Cup.
“I thought I would just drive down on Thursday to make sure everything is alright,” Britton said on Friday morning before he headed to a Mooloolaba café for breakfast.
“I went out to the track with them and back up to Mooloolaba after the races.
“Hopefully the trip refreshes us.”
Do It and Hank The Hustler were on the plane back to Melbourne early on Friday morning and will return to the Sunshine State on Wednesday of next week.
With Britton and partner Angela to also head back to their Anakie-based kennel on Sunday, the trainer considered keeping his dogs in Queensland for the week leading into next Thursday evening but opted against it.
“Sometimes they are better off in their own environment I reckon,” he said.
“Working on the same track at home, we have a straight track, and sometimes you go somewhere different, you get an injury out of it if they run too much or something.
“Being in their own bed helps as well but it just depends on how well they travel. They are also not used to the heat in Queensland.”
Races
Already a Group 1 champion over a similar trip at Angle Park last year, Britton did not have high hopes for Do It in Thursday’s heats with the pink rug on his back.
The $267,770 stakes earner showed plenty of race smarts to find a spot on the fence just after going past the winning post the first time before finishing over the top of the field in the final stages in a time of 30.07 seconds.
“I said to the owner earlier this week, the Final is worth $200,000 to the winner so if you get a bit of luck, you are running for that kind of money,” he recalled.
“It was a good surprise to get him through to the Final as from out there you are always worried about them trying to get through the field.”
Do It shapes as one of the key contenders for the Gold Bullion crown next week, giving the kennel a chance to win another Group 1 title in Queensland, with their last big feature event won in the Sunshine State being Hasten Slowly, who ran second in Winter Cup and then won the Brisbane Cup in 2018.
While the experienced trainer had little confidence in Do It’s chances from out wide, Britton was bullish around Hank The Hustler’s hopes in the staying heats.
The Group 3 Fireball Final winner from last year was aided by an inside draw and won well as an odds-on favourite.
“I was confident with him; he has been racing well and he was on the fence where he likes to be,” Britton, who has around 200 dogs on his property in Victoria, said.
“It was a bonus him winning.”
Britton was not over the moon around his box draws for next week’s Final – Do It in six and Hank The Hustler in five – branding their chances as a “bit of a battle”.
Other Gold Bullion heat winners from Thursday night included Orchestrate for champion Brisbane trainer Tony Brett, John Finn’s Zipping Kyrgios, reigning Ipswich Gold Cup winner Louis Rumble and star dog Jungle Deuce.
Zipping Kyrgios posted the quickest heat of the evening in 29.68 seconds and will jump from box four in the Final.
Breeder and part-owner of Orchestrate, Tom Kinnear, is enjoying the ride with the in-form dog, who has won his last three efforts after an injury lay-off.
“This is the first greyhound we have ever had with Tony,” Kinnear said.
“Orchestrate is the best dog we have ever had so far.”
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