Shayne Williams' jet to fly in Brisbane

By Jordan Gerrans

Trainer Shayne Williams is hopeful his kennel star can put on an iconic performance and run like a jet during his Queensland campaign. 

The Western Australian-based dog man has sent fast chaser Iconic Jet to leading local conditioner Jemma Daley for the 2025 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival. 

Williams trains out of Nambeelup in WA and has sent some strong chasers across the country in years gone by, including Rippin' Grace, Italian Stallion and Unsee This who were both placed in Group Finals during their Sunshine State campaigns. 

The veteran dog man has sent an early warning shot ahead of Iconic Jet’s first start in Queensland that the black dog is the best greyhound that he has ever possessed in his kennel. 

The 16-time career winner from 27 attempts starts his journey to the Group 1 Brisbane Cup by running in a Prelude over 520 metres on the Q2 Parklands circuit on Saturday evening. 

“He is the best dog I have ever had,” Williams declared.

“From a young age, the times he has run and he has made a Silver Chief Final. He is airborne the dog, I think The Q will suit him and if he can get a run of inside draws, that will help him as well as he likes to be on the rails.

“He has been a special dog for us from the start. I wouldn’t have sent him over for races like this if I didn’t think he was up to it.”

The son of Bernardo has mostly raced in age-restricted events through the early stages of his career with the WA dog man now throwing the chaser in the deep end against the ‘big boys’.

Iconic Jet travelled to Wentworth Park for a heat of the National Derby in January where he finished seventh. 

He was then off the racing scene for three months which Williams hopes has matured him up to race against the more seasoned animals he will face in the Sunshine State in the coming weeks. 

Williams believes the time away from the track will allow Iconic Jet to now to go the next level after dominating as a young chaser.

The black dog trialed at Q2 Parklands on Monday, posting a 29.86 second performance, which the trainer thinks will tune him up smartly. 

“I thought he might have gone a little bit better,” Williams said.

“He had nine days in between his last race and that trial, he didn’t have a lot of work in between that so that probably explains the reason why he didn’t find the line.

“His run home time was a bit steady but there were reasons for that but his splits were good.

“He was glued to the rail around the first turn in his trial, which is good because he had never seen the track.

“That is how he wins his races, racing in that manner.

“We were keen to get him there early so he can have a few trials and races before the heats of the Brisbane Cup, I think it will be beneficial for him.”

A top kennel in WA, Williams has often travelled dogs across the country, including winning races with Rippin' Grace, Italian Stallion and Unsee This.

Italian Stallion was placed in the 2025 Queensland Derby, Rippin' Grace finished third in the 2023 Queensland Cup while Unsee This was also placed at Group 2 level. 

The Williams team has gone close in plenty of majors in the Sunshine State and the trainer is eager to see if Iconic Jet can nab a black-type triumph. 

He has drawn the two in Saturday’s Brisbane Cup Prelude and tackles a classy field including 2023 Ipswich Cup champion Bear’s Bullet, Jeff Crawford’s in-form Star Turn as well as Good Odds Cobber. 

“He is up against the big boys now,” the trainer said.

“I am hoping he can lead on Saturday night and there are quite a few better dogs in the race – they need to get around him.

“It is a hard race on Saturday and if he can lead and then hang on for a place, I would be happy. He will get better and better each week he races.”

The $1 million Group 1 Brisbane Cup on July 5 is Iconic Jet’s endgame for the carnival.

“He is a very fast dog and I thought if these races were at Albion Park, I probably wouldn’t have sent him over but looking at The Q from afar, it suits on-speed dogs,” he said.

“The turns are tight and he really loves that.

“We have a track over here in WA called Northam, which I think is very similar. He flies at Northam.”

With Daley in charge of the preparation, Williams says he is likely to head across the Nullarbor if his classy chaser can qualify for his ‘grand final’. 

There will be two Cup Preludes on Saturday’s program ahead of the upcoming heats.