By Jordan Gerrans
Jemma Daley and Tarquin Neal’s everyday lives are so consumed with greyhound racing that they need to plan out weeks in advance sections of time so they can go “dog free”.
That is one of the many hurdles the emerging training combination in the Sunshine State face.
Daley and Neal have been a team of the rise in Queensland over the last year – winning several feature events – including the Group 3 Ipswich Auction Final and the Listed Ipswich Young Guns, among others.
Daley and Neal are together in a romantic relationship but live in separate parts of Brisbane as they prepare their feature-winning kennels.
They love their jobs within the greyhound industry and the animals, but also recognize the need to have time together away from working with their chasers.
With Neal based at Park Ridge South and Daley living and working out Kurwongbah – there is just over 60 kilometres that separates them.
It can take serious planning for the couple to actually get some alone time, away from the pooches.
It usually comes on a Sunday night when they sit down and plan the upcoming fortnight for trialling and racing – as well as some social time.
“In that, we also plan where and when we can catch up and actually spend time together," Neal said with a smile.
“You do dogs 24/7 so the last thing you want to do when you sit down to have dinner is talk about dogs.
“It is good to get away and not think about dogs for those few hours, it is really good.
“If it was not for us sitting down and planning for the upcoming fortnight as a diary, we would be stuffed.”
The couple are hopeful of one day living and working out a property together, but that will need to wait for now.
As distance separates them, they are on the phone to each other almost constantly.
In the morning when they are working with their dogs for their upcoming assignments, Neal and Daley are both likely to be doing so with headphones in talking to the other one at the other end of Brisbane.
To be able to have a partner that deeply understands every challenge you face in your everyday work life, has its benefits, according to Daley.
“It is mentally challenging at times to have a bad week or a bad day at the races, just to have Tarquin there, it really helps,” she said.
“Even if it is a small vent or just get some things out in the open, to have him there, it is fantastic.
“It has made training more enjoyable and doable over the last year.”
While they train and prepare their dogs as a team unit, they do have some similarities.
Asked if they operate their kennels like co-trainers would in the thoroughbred code of racing, Daley says they would not be that aligned, but they do prepare the dogs feeds and bounce ideas of each other.
And, after the majority of the big race victories over 2022, Daley and Neal have been standing next to each other to collect the trophy.
“It means everything to share the wins together when we are doing it as a team,” Daley said.
“We have had trifectas and quinellas in these big races and for both us to both be there, it is surreal.
“It brings you straight back down when you know that other person is standing there next to you and you can enjoy it together.”
The team go in search of another feature title on Thursday evening at Albion Park with two runners – who are litter sisters - in the 2022 Group 3 Rising Stars Final.
“We are over the moon with how things are coming along, this year has been an incredible year for us, winning four features,” Neal said.
“It has been a really successful year and we need to keep the ball rolling the way it is now.
“With the summer carnival coming up, hopefully we can keep it going towards that and win a few more features.”