Talented chaser thriving during Townsville holiday

By Jordan Gerrans

North Queensland is a popular tourist destination for thousands every year and a smart young blue dog is thriving in his sojourn to the region. 

The Tristan Dales-owned On Holidays is unblemished in five attempts at the Townsville track since arriving at the kennels of Bradley Belford at Gumlow just over a month ago. 

On Holidays' winning sequence actually dates back to six races as he scored on the Q Straight in Brisbane before heading north to further his career. 

With the Townsville Cup heats set to put the North Queensland city in the racing spotlight this week, On Holidays will be out to continue his prolific winning ways while taking a slightly different path. 

The son of Aston Rupee is unbeaten in five starts at the Townsville Showgrounds track. 

He will be looking to make that half-a-dozen on Tuesday evening in a heat of the North Queensland Sprint over 380 metres. 

To make On Holidays’ perfect record in the north even more significant is the fact that the emerging chaser only turned two years of age last week. 

“We have held him back and let him mature up,” Dales said.

“He is a bit of a bull. He is a serious race dog. There is a lot of nice series’ coming up for him in Townsville.”

On Holidays is also unbeaten from the pink alley, winning on three occasions from out wide in the eight, which is where he will start from on Tuesday night. 

“He will definitely give that track record a nudge,” owner Dales said of Tuesday’s assignment. 

“Being out in the eight on Tuesday night, he will be running a quick time. If he can hit his start like he can, he will give it a nudge.”

At Townsville, the 380 metre track record is 21.35 seconds, which is held by former Townsville-based star Plum Tuckered who went on to be competitive in the city under the watch of Tony Apap. 

The Belford-prepared youngster has gone 21.50 seconds out of the 380 metre starting position at the venue and the team behind him think getting down as low as Plum Tuckered’s feats is achievable in the short term.

A total of five heats of the NQ sprint will be held on Tuesday evening before the decider on Townsville Cup night next week. 

On Holidays has links to almost every corner of Australia. 

He is owned by the Melbourne-based Dales who works in northern Western Australia in the mines. 

The young chaser started his career in Tasmania, he had a stop in South East Queensland with stalwart conditioner Ned Snow before linking up with the Belford camp in the north. 

He has 11 wins on his resume from just 18 attempts. 

“The times the dog was running was electric before he went to Queensland,” Dales said.

“Brad has told me he is up there with one of the quickest dogs he has ever trained.

“Brad thinks he is close to breaking a track record up there, going 21.50 seconds the other night. He has untapped ability this dog, he will run 500 metres.

“I am wrapped; Brad and Jackie have done a great job after Ned sent him up in top condition. We keep pushing forward.”

On Holidays is racing over the shorter 380 metre sprint trip this week but he will step up to the ‘Cup trip’ of 498 metres in the coming weeks.

He will be targeted towards the North Queensland Cup – which is raced following the Townsville Cup – with the event restricted to dogs based further north than Gympie.

“This boy has a lot left in the tank and we are excited to see what he can produce,” Belford said.

Dales is a big-time breeder and owner of greyhounds across Australia and mainly breeds to sell while he has decided to hold on to On Holidays for his racing journey. 

Southern kennels such as Travis Elson and Matthew Heilbronn will be represented in the heats of the NQ Sprint on Tuesday ahead of the heats of the Townsville Cup on Friday.