Box rise will decide Rory’s fate in Brisbane Cup

By Pat McLeod

Daysea’s Rory has shrugged off a slight injury scare and is poised to follow a winning game plan in Saturday night’s Group 1 Brisbane Cup at The Q.

Trainer Tom Tzouvelis offered a blunt summation of his kennel’s sprint king’s chances in the pinnacle of the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.

“Our race revolves around us leading,” Tzouvelis said. 

“He (Daysea’s Rory) has got the pace to lead the race.

“But, it all comes down to what happens on the night, him timing the start. If he does, I think Rory (box two) has got the best genuine box speed in the race, so he can definitely lead this race around the first turn.

“Rory is at the peak of his racing career at the moment in terms of age, maturity and experience, along with the travel benefits that he has had over the past six months.”

However, Tzouvelis also revealed that Daysea’s Rory came away from last week’s thrilling heat win over Deadly Avenger with a slight injury.

“He was vetted after Thursday night's heats and was found to have slight swelling in his right front wrist,” the Park Ridge trainer said.

“It was minor and we have been working on it and he will be 100% for Saturday night. He will be a bit fresher than normal, but he will be fine.”

Tzouvelis, who has been one of the nation’s most consistent Goup race winners over the past two years, said Saturday night’s Group 1 sprint showdown on the Q2 Parklands circuit was pure quality.

“You would never be comfortable in this race until you are past the line,” he said.

“You have the current record holder (Blue Blend in box one), superstar Tim Zoo (box three) who is one of the most consistent Group performers over the past 12 months, Mepunga Reward (box five) who is another absolute star, Cumbria Jack (box six) whose heat run was just amazing, one of Australia’s most accomplished greyhounds over the past 12 months in Deadly Avenger (box eight) and Gambella (box seven) a star on the rise.

“They are all amazing dogs.

“I think the club will be absolutely ecstatic with the field that they have got, a dream Final for the Brisbane Cup.”

Tzouvelis said the relationships behind greyhound racing added another dimension to winning races, especially Group 1 events.

Daysea’s Rory’s owner, the 91-year-old Claude Dacey, has been good mates with the Tzouvelis clan for decades.

He invited Tzouvelis to take over the reins of the obviously talented ‘Rory’ early in his career. 

Going into Saturday night’s $650,000-to-the-winner race, the speedster has reaped 18 wins, 21 placings and $417,848 in prizemoney.

“Claude has had a greater journey out of the dog,” Tzouvelis said.

“To see him having the privilege of a dog like this in his later years, I think is so special for the Dacey family.

“You always want to win these races. If you do just that with somebody who means something more to you, then of course it is really special.”

Tzouvelis said Daysea’s Rory was as good as any dog he has had in his kennel.

“Rory is up there with any that we have put a lead on,” he said.

“We have been very lucky over the years to have looked after many champions and I believe he fits in with all those dogs. He is a brilliant.

“Since September last year he has only missed two Finals of races that we have set him for and they were the Golden Easter Egg and the Australian Cup Finals and he made the semi-finals of both of those.

“He has been an amazingly consistent dog.”

Tzouvelis’ interest on Saturday night also extends to the Group 1 Queensland Cup Final, with youngster Stowaway coming from box seven.

“I have a really big opinion of this dog,” he said.

“At the moment he is a big, clumsy dog, still so very young for a distance dog. He is just two years and three months old and that is an absolute baby for a 700 metre dog.

“To see him matching strides with the current track record holder (Red Dirt Road) in last week’s heats is hopefully a sign of things to come with Stowaway."

Tzouvelis believes every dog has a genuine chance in the Group 1 Queensland Cup Final.

“I think Late Night News, Red Dirt Road, Stowaway and Ethanol Water, they will all be looking to position up into a spot, going past the winning post the first time," Tzouvelis said. 

“I think whoever is in the best position out of those dogs, will be the hardest to beat.

“Stowaway is definitely capable of winning this, it just depends how the cards fall. But, I think we will see the best of Stowaway in the latter part of this year.”