Hot Country Cup decider set for Townsville

By Josh Spasaro

While Southpaw Mcgraw hasn’t been super fast out of the boxes, North Queensland trainer Heath Ardle believes he can make up ground on his rivals in the Country Cup Final at Townsville on Tuesday night.

The three-year-old dog is one to beat in the $7,980 feature over 498 metres after winning his heat in 28.54 seconds, holding off Jackknifed after he was third at the early first turn.

“I’m just hoping for the best. If he goes like last week he’s got a good chance,” Ardle said. 

“But, he hasn’t been beginning the best, so we’ve just got to hope that he can put it together mid-race and at the end.”

The top four from both the Townsville and Rockhampton Finals will qualify for the $26,500 Country Cup over 520 metres at Q2 Parklands on February 5.

The Rockhampton Final is set for Wednesday night.

By Aston Rupee and out of Ardle’s brood bitch Nangar Gold, black dog Southpaw Mcgraw has 13 wins from 52 starts.

He is known to pick up pace on the back straight and finish strongly, but Ardle did see some improvement in the way he started last Tuesday night.

And, while the North Queensland conditioner likes his dogs starting from the middle boxes at a venue like Townsville where they are instantly greeted by a turn, Ardle said his chaser should go well from the two lane.

“He half-started with them last week, so I was happy with that,” he said.

“He should be right. Even if he does miss it, he normally rails up underneath. If he gets that run down the back straight he’ll give it his best shot, that’s for sure.”

With two wins and four places from his past six starts, Ardle believes Southpaw Mcgraw can maintain his consistency this year.

And, if he qualifies for the Country Cup Final, more trips to the Queensland capital could be in store for him.

“I’d hope that he can stay where he is at least. We’ll see how we go this year,” he said.

“If he gets through and gets to The Q and he goes all right, we might even jump on a plane every now and then and head down. I’ve got some good mates down there I can go and stay with.”

Meanwhile, trainer Brad Belford was modest about the chances of his three-year-old bitch Time Passages in the Townsville Country Cup Final.

This is despite her winning three of her past five starts.

She fought back to come third from back in the field in her heat last Tuesday night.

“She’s only a rough hope. Maisie Moo Moo and Heath Ardle’s dog are going good at the moment,” the Gumlow-based conditioner said.

“She just needs a bit of luck. She is running on better than ever. I’ve won some 380 metre races with her, which I didn’t think I could. She was flying at the time. She’s still going all right, but she just can’t go early with them.

“If she misses it a little bit and goes to the fence, she’s just bracing for luck.”

Belford was pleased with the way Time Passages came back to qualify for Tuesday night’s Final by coming third in her heat last week.

But, like Ardle, he said she cannot afford to give her competitors much room in what is a quality field.

“She did come from last, yes. She was a long way off them,” he said.

“She’s been going not too bad. She went back to the fence and then got shuffled a bit and pushed back. Her run was very good. She got home real good.

“But, I need her to be able to keep up a bit better. I can’t run any of them down if they’re left alone in front. Jackknifed will be there – he comes home good. It’s a fair race, really.”

While unplaced, Belford said four starts – two over 520 metres and two over 600 metres – at Q2 Parklands in October last year were a beneficial experience for Time Passages if she qualifies for the Country Cup at that venue on February 5.

“I just want to make the Final. She’s started down there, so she’ll go all right down there,” he said.

“We’re going down for a couple of weeks anyway. I’ve only got about eight dogs in work, but we’ll take the lot and stay a couple of weeks.”

Belford added he hoped Time Passages could move across to the rail from box four on Tuesday night.

“I’d rather her be in a bit closer,” he said.

“I just need her to get back to the fence. Just run in the first four, make the Final. It’ll be a different story in Brisbane.”