By Isaac Murphy
Track records have been toppling at Albion Park in 2018 and trainer David Fitzgerald believes his bitch Mustang Tully can continue the trend in the Lighting Final over 331 metres, with form and an inside gate on her side.
Fitzgerald’s young sprinter has amassed an imposing record of eleven wins and two placings from her fourteen starts, including a most recent run of 18.70 from box eight in the heats just one tenth outside Silent Sonny’s record mark.
Fitzgerald said his bitch can transfer her form from out wide to the inside and was a good chance to not only win but lower the record as well.
“Everyone thinks she likes it out wide, because nearly all of her races have been out wide, she’s had four box sevens and four box eights,” he said.
“I really think the red is going to suit her more than people think, If the track is good I nearly think she’ll break the track record.”
Not yet two years old Fitzgerald admits it is her sternest test yet, but he was quietly confident the tangibles were in his favour.
“She’s only a baby so you would have to say this is the biggest test of her career so far.”
“There’s good dogs in the race and they’ll test her, but she’s just such a consistent little bitch and her first sectionals are that quick if she’s out on the bunny and it’s hard to beat her even if they’re a bit stronger I haven’t seen her get run down yet.”
Fitzgerald said Mustang Tully was a quick learner as a pup, only taking a couple of trials to be race fit, something she continues to improve on each race.
“I took her to Albion Park for a trial and she went 19.60, I put about another kilo on her through some extra work and she went about 19 flat so I thought she’s ready to go.”
“Since her first start she just improves and gets stronger every run, I couldn’t ask for much more out of her.”
Fitzgerald has extra incentive to take out the Lightning this year, finding one better in last years instalment.
“I had a Mochachini Man run second in the race last year when he drew wide, so hopefully this year with a talented bitch I can go one better.”
“Because she’s quick out I would have given her a chance off any box but being on the inside gives us the advantage, she should lead and if she leads she’ll be hard to run down.”
Interstate opportunities are aplenty for the gun young sprinter, but for the time being Fitzgerald is keen to keep her on Queensland soil and possibly look to step her up in distance.”
“What I wanted to do was go from here to Capalaba for The Young Guns Heats next month, but I’m at a bit of a crossroads because I believe with time I could get her over the 500, but I don’t want to rush her because she’ll lose her early speed and that’s her best asset,” He said.
“If I was to go that way I’d want to put a few good months of work into her before giving her a go around December, but it’s hard to plan that far ahead.”
Mustang Tully has captured the imagination of the greyhound community and her trainer says he’s a lucky man to be involved.
“There’s so many people talking about her now, which is nice as a trainer, but it’s all really about her she’s just such a nice little bitch does everything right, I think the only way she gets beat tomorrow night is if she makes a mistake.”