Daley double keeps trainer smiling

By Isaac Murphy

Jemma Daley is enjoying the best week of her training life after Hara’s Penny claimed a Col Harris heat last Saturday at Ipswich before gun import Katana stamped his authority on the Publicans Cup series last night.

Daley is hoping her luck can continue, with both charges big chances in their respective finals.

“To have Hara’s Penny through to the Col Harris final and now Katana into the Publicans Cup final, it’s been a cracking week and definitely the most exciting in my short time training,” Daley said.

With a full kennel, Daley happily inherited Hara’s Penny off Tony Brett, and rapidly knocked up four wins in 13 starts, with the Col Harris the perfect race to begin her staying career.

“I’m optimistic Hara’s Penny can get it done Saturday night, but I’d definitely prefer her drawn wide,” Daley said.

“She doesn’t like dogs crowding her on the fence but hopefully she jumps like last week from the red and it won’t be a factor,” Daley said.

“She covered the distance no problem; she’d never been past the 500 metres and I wasn’t able to even give her a trial over it because of a few niggling things, so we thought we’d taper off her fitness a bit and make sure she was one hundred percent sound.

“She basically came out and won her heat when she was a little bit underdone, second look I think you’ll see some real improvement out of her.”

Hara’s Penny speared to the front last week from box seven and Daley is hoping she can again clear them early and show off her motor.

“Javens in box two is my biggest concern because he has the speed to put a little bit of pressure on us which she’s not going to appreciate at the start, but in saying that with her tail up after last week she should get out of the boxes and go,” she said.

“Mahogany Row and Blue Bandit are good dogs, but if she’s able to fly the lids like she can and get on the bunny with some extra fitness I think they’re going to be flat out chasing her down.

“The ace we’ve had up the sleeve is the blinkers, just to keep her concentrated on what’s in front of her not around her, that was the first time we’ve used them last week and hopefully it works again.”

It’s been a dream start for former New South Wales chaser Katana, three starts and three wins in Brisbane straight to the front and home in 29.98 in last night’s Publicans Cup heat at Albion Park.

“He was as professional as ever last night; jumped, mustered got to the front and he just doesn’t let dogs past him, to do it in the Publicans Cup only using up the one grade is a bonus,” Daley said.

“The final is going to be a lot tougher but I’m actually quite excited to see what he can do from box seven, there are a lot of dogs around that 5.50 mark early and if they bunch up he’ll go right around them.

“Fourth run in his fitness is starting to get up there and if he leads down the back, he’ll take some beating.”

Daley is already making a name for herself in the industry, with Katana’s owner Dennis Moore handing her the keys to a potential star.

“James Gallaway trained him at Grafton and did a great job but after the borders shut again I got a phone call off the owner Dennis Edwards who floated the idea of bringing the dog up here to leave in my care for the immediate future,” Daley said.

“I was extremely grateful to receive a dog with that ability and have been really happy to have carried his form.

“Dogs like him don’t come along very often and especially for me, someone who’s just getting started it’s a big deal.

“He hasn’t been here long at all and has still managed to come out and win three from three, once he’s a bit more settled with his new surroundings then you’ll only see more ability.”

There have been significant changes for the dog, not least of which a two-turn track, but Katana’s consistency has been amazing with a 30 flat, and two 29.98s.

“He did a lot of his racing at the one turn track down in Maitland and is having to adjust to the two turns at Albion Park, each run he seems to be taking the corners that much better,” she said.

“I’m a huge rap for the dog, he’s got that much fight in him and really wants to win, and dealing with a dog with his temperament makes my job a hell of a lot easier.”

There’s plenty of pressure that comes with a new addition at Daley’s boutique kennel, but she couldn’t be more thankful for the leg up she’s been given but is confident her own methods will make for a better dog.

“James (Gallaway) has been fantastic as well getting in contact with me about what makes the dog tick and he came to me in brilliant order,” Daley said.

“I’ve tried to continue a lot of what James has been doing with him but have my own techniques as well I’m hoping will pay off.

“I tend to do a lot more walking and probably a bit more work overall just to get him fit for 500 races, his weight and all the main indicators are the same but you always want to try to get better.”