By Jordan Gerrans
A familiar voice to racing fans in North Queensland is back in greyhound training ranks and he might just have a live Townsville Cup chance.
Laurie Wode has called all three code’s of racing across his lifetime – and still broadcasts the gallops and the dogs every now and again – and has over the last few years, slowly built back up his own kennel.
The Wode family was born into the greyhound code – Laurie’s father trained – and he followed his old man into the training ranks.
As well as training many years ago, he was calling the dogs in North Queensland, before taking a long break from both.
While he will not be behind the binoculars at the Townsville Showgrounds on Friday evening for the heats of the 2022 Cup, Wode will have a starter in the third of four heats with Paw Baby.
“I love it, probably too much,” Wode said of being back training after regaining his licence in 2020.
“It is hard work doing the dogs in the morning and afternoon after work, you are usually getting home late, but it is a passion for me.
“I love training the dogs, I would love to go full-time training them but at this point in my life, I cannot quite do it.”
The Wode name is well-known through the industry in the north of the Sunshine State.
Laurie called his first greyhound meeting at Townsville as a 16 year old as a trainee in 1986.
Laurie’s brother Tony is the regular race caller at Townsville’s Cluden Park and has been for many years.
Tony also calls many of the non-TAB’s in the district, as well.
When Tony is away on holidays, Laurie will pick up the microphone at Cluden Park as well as calling all the action from Home Hill when the Burdekin club hosts race days.
Laurie will fill in when the Townsville dog’s caller is on leave as well but that is a rare occurrence.
With the Townsville club increasing their number of race meetings in recent years, Laurie was attracted to get back into the code.
He purchased a greyhound for another trainer to prepare before he eventually worked his way back into the training ranks.
“We were born into them and then when I was training earlier on, it was just too hard as there was not much money in the game,” Laurie said.
“I had other things on my plate so I gave up calling and training and did not do anything for a while there.”
He started off with just two dogs in 2020, which has over the last 24 months expanded to a kennel of more than 20.
“It is time consuming but I have got a few good people around me that give me a hand, we have got a good team doing the dogs at the moment,” Wode said.
The Group 3 Townsville Cup heats for 2022 are stacked with visiting kennels from Brisbane, as well as the best the locals have to offer.
Leading NQ trainer Harold Hovi already has his kennel star Redemption Day through to the Final after winning last week’s Townsville Wildcard.
Wode’s three-year-old black bitch Paw Baby has drawn the red rag in her heat, a position she performs best at across her career.
She has obtained five of her nine career triumphs from the inside two boxes across 34 starts.
Wode understands his bitch is up against some smart southern dogs in Tungsten Miss and Hara’s Betty – among others – but he gives his girl a chance if she can show some early toe over 498 metres.
“That is her go, she needs the alley,” Wode said.
“If she does not lead, she might be in a bit of bother.
“I think she can lead from the one.
“These Brisbane dogs are smart animals that we are racing against.”
Three heats of the North Queensland Sprint will also be contested over 380 metres on Friday evening, with Wode having five engaged.
He believes Quinn Bale in the fifth event and Rum and Hustle in the first heat are the best winning chances of his handful.
“He will suit the middle,” Wode said of Rum and Hustle drawing the yellow rug.
“They just need to step.
“They will all be competitive; Quinn Bale always keeps them honest.
“They will make themselves felt in these races.”
