Disaster Piece already a star in Broadrick's eyes

By Alex Nolan

Trainer George Broadrick isn’t quite sure what level Disaster Piece can get to.

But, one thing he knows for sure, the 13-time winner is by far the best dog he’s ever put a collar on.

On Thursday, Broadrick will give his son of Fernando Bale the chance to mix it with Queensland’s best up-and-coming dogs when he contests heat three of the Group 3 Rising Stars at Albion Park.

Broadrick purchased Disaster Piece – out of Miss Gingin – from Tom Tzouvelis with a view to racing him over the 331 and 395 metre courses.

As the weeks passed after Disaster Piece’s debut – which was exactly one year ago this Monday – Broadrick noticed the dog was growing stronger and stronger.

“I was very lucky I called Tom at a time when he had too many dogs and not enough kennels,” Broadrick explained.

“Tom told me he had a couple he was going to sell, and I was lucky enough to purchase this boy off him.

"It was a stroke of luck on my part, but it’s about time I had some good luck because I’ve been in and out of the sport for 18 years and had been racing give-aways or very cheap buys.

“I’m still learning and I’m not too sure what happened, but every two or three months he would just get stronger and stronger, it was only in the last four or five months I realised I had a genuine 500 metre dog.”

His realisation turned to the hope of Group 3 glory when Disaster Piece ran a blistering 29.87 second effort at a Monday meeting on September 12, then returned 10 days later to win a Thursday night fifth grade race in 29.93 seconds.

“I must admit I don’t watch a lot of racing when I’m not racing, but I know that not a lot of dogs break 30 seconds on a Monday night,” Broadrick said.

“I had to get a photo that night from Michael McInally – just in case I have another dog breaking 30 seconds.

"Then he won on a Thursday so I had to buy another photo, I’ve got a lounge room full of photos at the moment.

“He’s the best I’ve ever had.

"At one point, he’d won more races than I ever had as a trainer previously.”

Disaster Piece enters Thursday’s heat off a last start debut over 600 metres at Albion Park, where he set the early pace and, despite tiring late, fell in to score in 35.12 seconds. 

Broadrick hopes the run over the longer journey will have toughened his charge up for a maiden Group assignment and is also hopeful he will run a strong 600 metres in time.

But, he is also aware of the challenge Disaster Piece faces from box five.

The noted rails runner comes up against a hot field, including one of New South Wales’ most exciting youngsters in Zipping Orlando, who boasts an imposing record of eight wins from nine starts.

“He’s been very lucky with box draws so I can’t complain,” Broadrick said of box five.

“After he ran the 29.87 seconds I saw the race coming up and thought we’d have a go.

“I just don’t know if he’ll be quick enough early. I’ve been trying to keep him to fifth-grade races as long as possible. It’s a different kettle of fish leading in fifth grades as opposed to Group races.”

Broadrick was born in Lismore and later moved to Leeton in New South Wales, before heading north to Queensland when his father decided to have a crack training alongside his brother, Flinders View trainer Chris Broadrick.

“My uncle got Dad into it and because I was still living at home and I loved the dogs, I started walking them in the morning with the old man and fell in love with it,” Broadrick said.  

“When I trained my first winner I caught the bug and I wanted the feeling again and again.”  

Heat three of the Rising Stars series comes up at race seven on the Albion Park card on Thursday night.