Buster to do Queensland proud on National stage

By Pat McLeod

Jayson Valentine and Tarawi Buster are warming to Saturday night’s David v Goliath National Straight Track showdown.

They are the underdogs in what is a brilliant field converging to contest the first of three championship events at The Q.

In the on-track highlight of the 2025 Nationals in Queensland, the Group 3 National Straight Track Championships (350m) will be staged on the Ladbrokes Q Straight.

The night’s program will then shift to the Q2 Parklands circuit for the running of the Group 1 events, the National Distance (710m) and the National Sprint (520m) Championships.

Although it’s his first Nationals, Valentine is welling with pride rather than nerves.

“At this stage there are no nerves, just really happy to be part of this,” the Jimboomba trainer said.

“Yes ‘Buster’ is a length or two off the best of these dogs, absolutely, and the market has him at $34. However, he is definitely worth an each-way bet at that price.

“He will just keep coming and has got a massive heart. He gives 110 per cent every time.

“This dog deserves to be in this race. If we win it or not, well that is another thing, but he deserves a race like this.

“He has never shirked a task every time he has gone around and if he can get to the front, I don't think anything can run us down.

“At the moment he is good after pulling up really well after trials.

“He will be right for the night and that’s when it will be up to him.”

Saturday night’s straight track feature initially appeared to be a one-dog affair, with Tony Brett’s Darcy Dakota setting a new mark on the Q Straight at 18.71 seconds in the state heats.

However, in the past week Victorian Serial Sticker and then SA’s Wicket went 18.71 and 18.72 respectively in trials at The Q.

And of course there is also the defending champion, Mile A Minute, who relegated Serial Sticker to second place in their State final showdown at Healesville.

“There are so many fast dogs in this race,” Valentine said.

“It is really difficult to point out who is the biggest danger in this race because there are so many.

“I do believe this track does favour wider runners, so then you look at Darcy Dakota (6), Serial Sticker (7) and Wicket (8), but you can’t forget Mile A Minute (3).”

Valentine says Tarawi Buster’s Achilles’ heel, his start, can also be the factor that puts him in the race on Saturday.

“For Buster to figure in this race on Saturday night he needs to get out of the box better than he has been in his recent trials,” he said.

“If you have a look back at his heat, he came out in 3.93. If he is able to do that again and his run home is down to that 9.90, well an 18.75 is not out of the question for him.

“He needs to find that length or two coming out of the boxes, which on his day he can. But it just depends what version of this dog turns up on the night.

“This is a very fast, but also extremely even field. They are all running around the 18.70-18.75, through the trials.

“It will come down to who is able to get a little bit of room early on the night.

“Buster is strong home and he knows the track. If he is only a length or so off the leaders in the last 100 metres or so, his run home is super, he will be in there with a chance.

“You can be the fastest dog going into this race, but if you strike trouble early you would have to be something very special to run the rest of this field down.

“A tough race, but if there are a couple of bumps, and my dog gets a clear run, well anywhere in the top three and I would be over the moon.”