Duffman's connections eager for another big Ipswich pay day

By Jordan Gerrans

Brayden Gurney and Dean Mentz kept seeing a familiar name flash up on the television screen when they were down their local haunt having a quiet drink and a small flutter.

The mates from high school were just small-time punters having some fun, interested in the gallops during the day and then often the chasers in the evening.

Once the Ipswich Saturday night meeting would commence, they frequently saw the name ‘Jedda Cutlack’ pop up on the coverage as the emerging trainer picked up another winner at the Showgrounds-based track as her career continues to build.

The lads hit up their former high school classmate about purchasing a dog that she could train and that they could own.

At that point Mentz was a regular at the Ipswich track having moved out to the area for work purposes.

It took a few years for it to come to fruition with Cutlack telling the boys she would wait until she found a handy one for them to buy into.

It was most certainly worth the wait for Gurney and Mentz, who had never owned a greyhound before.

They are the proud owners of reigning Vince Curry champion Duffman and they now have a chance to add to his already bulging career earnings in Saturday’s lucrative Golden Chase Final at Ipswich.

“I am also able to share it with new owners into the sport as well, I hope it is defining for them and is just the start of a lot of success for them as well,” Cutlack said.

The Golden Chase Final offers up $100,000 to the champion on Saturday.

Cutlack, Gurney and Mentz already have $99,030 in the kitty, with most of it yielded from the prestigious Vince Curry triumph.

“We never dreamed that he would have the start that he did have,” Gurney said.

“It has been an amazing start.

“Each time he races now, we sort of expect a good result, so he has set the bar high.”

Conditioner Cutlack owns the majority share of the promising chaser with her former school mates owning the rest.

The first-time owners were blown away with the crowd on hand for the running of the prestigious Group 3 event for maiden gallopers at the Ipswich track earlier this year.

Little did they know that as first-time owners into the sport that they were about to claim one of the most sought-after events in the entire caper.

The brindle dog scored in 30.32 seconds as he made light work of the Group-level field.

“It was a good night, I did not expect the crowd that was there,” Gurney said.

“When he crossed the line and got that win, we were all pretty ecstatic.

“No one was left wondering in the grandstand who the owners of Duffman were.

“It was definitely an exciting night and something I have not experienced before.”

The dog is of course named after Duffman from The Simpsons who was the mascot and chief spokesperson for Duff Beer.

Cutlack decided to purchase Duffman (from a Sh Avatar and She's Some Gal litter) on his appearance and familiar breeding lines to her kennel.

The now retired litter sisters Showdown, Sunburst and Shaye (from a Sh Avatar and Sawadee litter) were previously in the care of Cutlack and won a combined prize money tally of almost $500,000 and all raced in Group-level events.

On their pedigrees, Duffman and her retired trio of stars are almost identical, Cutlack says.

“Sunburst and her litter mates were really special to me in shaping my career,” the up-and-coming trainer said.

“So, it seemed to like a no brainer.

“Duffman has started his career off a little bit better than her but Sunburst she just got better as she matured. If Duffman can do that as well, we will see.”

It was about mid-way through the pre-training process where Cutlack felt that Duffman would become a city-class dog.

“As a puppy, I really liked him so to have that connection with a young dog and bringing him up through then starting to race,” Cutlack said.

“And, he started his career so well as he has, you hope you get one is just handy, but to have one that even better – it is very special.”

Duffman has not been at his best through the rich Golden Chase series but he has done enough to reach the decider.

He had a minor injury in the lead-up to series and placed through the heats and semi-finals to land in the Final.

Duffman has drawn the three for Saturday’s 520 metre contest, an alley he has won from on two occasions from three attempts.

The Golden Chase is a rebranded version of the old Ipswich Auction series and has received a recent increase in prize money on offer for the 520 metre Final following the 431 metre series.

“It is an exciting race,” Cutlack said.

“It has attracted a lot more interstate breeders and nominations, if that keeps going then it will shape up as a big series into the future.”