Lids set to fly in first official race meeting at the Q Straight

By Pat McLeod

Karen Tribe remembers the long trips from Roma to Ipswich during the early stages of her greyhound career.

“Roma is where I first became involved with greyhounds,” Tribe explains.

“It was also where I met my husband, Steve. He worked for the council there and had greyhounds. I used to help out with the dogs and we would drive all the way to Ipswich for racing.”

Times have changed. So has their location. The couple are long-term residents of the greyhound enclave of Churchable, about an hour’s drive west of Ipswich.

They also are experiencing another change – The Q.

The new ‘world’s best’, three-track facility has taken over from Ipswich as the pair’s go-to race venue.

And, on Thursday their home-bred My Bug, a first starter, will be part of the first-ever official race on the Q Straight – a maiden 300 metre event.

“It will be special on Thursday, to be part of the first race at the straight track,” Tribe said.

“Of course we are treating it like any other race, but yes, it is special, I suppose, to be part of ‘a first’. To win? Well, that would be pretty special, as well.”

After successful trialing and a picnic meeting on the Q Straight on June 14, the green light was given for the first official straight track meeting on Thursday.

The 12-race program will include races over the track’s 300 and 350 metre distances.

Tribe said the kennel had trialed over the new straight track but were not involved in the picnic meeting.

“Race-wise it will be all new to us, but interesting as well to see how everything goes at the new track,” she said.

“We are fans of straight track racing. We have raced a fair bit at Capalaba over the years, but not so much in recent times, purely because we haven’t had the right dogs.

“But, the straight track is great for young dogs especially, as they are learning to race and also older dogs coming back from injury.”

Tribe said she was adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to My Bug, who will exit from the seven box in the opening race.

The Jett Black Bob and My Glorious Gal chaser is part of a five-pup litter, who have all raced except him.

“He was injured when he and one of his brother’s came together in a trial,” Tribe said.

“He suffered an injury so didn’t make it to the track when the others started racing.

“He certainly is a hard chaser and has speed, when he decides to use it. So, we will just wait and see how he goes on Thursday.”

From the litter so far, the best performed is the Skye Thomas-trained Son Of Bob, who has two wins and two seconds from his nine starts.

With the lids set to fly at the Q Straight from Thursday, all three tracks, the one-turn, two-turn and straight track, will be operational at The Q – a world first for greyhound racing.