Peter Carleton battling towards Capalaba series

By Jordan Gerrans

Trainer Peter Carleton will wear the ‘battler’ tag with pride as he heads to Capalaba to compete on Wednesday afternoon.

The Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club have recently introduced a new series for dogs who have the longest losing sequence, with a minimum of eight starts needed to be eligible since their last victory.

The club ran a similar series through September and October with fifth grade chasers and another will commence on Wednesday with maiden and sixth graded greyhounds.

The Park Ridge-based mentor has two dogs who fall into that category and Carleton will start Graphite and Red Hot Kiwi across the two Battlers heats.

Graphite has drawn the one alley in the second of the two heats while kennelmate Red Hot Kiwi commences from the seven in the opener.

Graphite is still a maiden runner after 14 attempts while Red Hot Kiwi has won victory on her resume from 46 starts, which came back in May of last year.

“I think Graphite is the better one of my two,” the veteran dog man said.

With two from his kennel in the Battlers heats, Carleton says the new concept was a positive for the greyhound game.

Following Tuesday’s heats, a Battlers Final will be contested on Wednesday of next week with the Capalaba club deciding to double the prizemoney on offer.

“We all can’t be Tom Tzouvelis' and those guys,” Carleton said.

“I think the smaller trainers with only a few dogs keep the industry going.

“I think it is a great series and I take my hat off to the club for what they are doing.

“The more money on offer is great, with the Capalaba club putting more money in, and it gives everyone a chance.

“The Battlers series gives everyone a start.

“It makes the people happier and the dogs happier to get a run.”

Fellow trainer Ashley Bock also backed the Battlers concept recently.

“It gives them all a chance,” Bock said.

“It’s a friendly environment whenever you go down there, which is good.”

After retiring from the workforce as an electrician, Carleton has been around the dogs for more than a decade after originally being mentored by Hall Of Famer Tony Zammit.

Alongside his two Battlers runners on Wednesday, the trainer also takes Three Girls to Capalaba for a maiden event over 366 metres.

The daughter of Fernando Bale is yet to place in seven attempts and she has drawn the two for her assignment.

“She is getting fit,” he said.

“I don’t race dogs for the money; it is about the love of the animal. As long as my dogs are getting around safe, I am happy.”

Gary Keep’s Crickle Owl Vic won the first Battlers series decider early last month after winning a heat the week prior.