By Jordan Gerrans
The trainer of West Australian superstar greyhound Tommy Shelby has lauded the match race concept ahead of the final of the Group 3 Golden Ticket.
Ahead of the four final match races to nab the Golden Ticket, which provides direct entry into the Group 1 Gold Bullion, trainer Steve Withers says the match race format should attract new audiences and fans to the sport.
The well-travelled Tommy Shelby faces Magic Hope in the third match race on Thursday night at Albion Park.
Withers says the rich TAB Golden Greys Summer carnival, the beautiful weather and prize money brought him and his kennel star to Queensland.
“It is a great format, I am sure the public love the format, the four dog heats and match racing – it is exciting,” Withers said.
“The Golden Ticket is awesome, it brings more dogs here earlier and gives you two opportunities to get through to a Group 1 in the Gold Bullion.
“For us, it gives us a chance to acclimatize more to the local track and conditions.
“It is a great carnival, there is great dogs up here, there history with dogs out of Queensland is fantastic they are awesome.”
Withers admits the Queensland humidity originally impacted Tommy Shelby’s condition and performance but believes he will be back near his best tonight when he lines up in the Group 3 Golden Ticket, looking to force his way into next month's Group 1 Gold Bullion.
He has had a busy recent schedule, including third placings in both the Million Dollar Chase Final and the Melbourne Cup Final and a Group 1 win in the Hobart Thousand Final.
Tommy Shelby has improved on his heat last week, Withers thinks, and declared the concept of match racing helps strong greyhounds in the run.
“Ironically, we have a match race where we look evenly matched,” Withers said of Tommy Shelby’s contest against Magical Hope.
“Going into that first corner, there is going to be speed and a battle.
“He is an experienced race dog now, he has been in the toughest fields in the country, full eight dog fields in traffic we have seen him push his way through.
“He does not mind the argy-bargy.”