New eclipse for Jemma Daley with Hara's Luna

By Jordan Gerrans

Staying prospect Hara's Luna will always hold a sentimental place in Jemma Daley’s heart and the top trainer is eager to see if she can become a major player in the 2024 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.

With a young resume boasting five victories from just nine starts, Hara's Luna takes the step up to a heat of the QGOLD Winter Chase on Thursday evening at headquarters.

Hara's Luna is a daughter of the first dog Daley ever prepared - Hara's Bonnie.

Hara's Bonnie was only a four-time winner from 47 attempts, collecting just $17,290 in career stakes.

While Bonnie was never a star on the track, she will always be a special dog to the Park Ridge South-based conditioner and she may have just handed her an exciting staying commodity in Luna.

Luna won over 630 metres in 36.92 seconds at Ipswich in the middle of last month and Daley is hopeful she can be competitive over the staying trip over 710 metres in the near future.

“I think she is going to get stronger and stronger as well so hopefully she can make a nice little stayer for the future,” the trainer said.

“I think she will get up to 700 metres and she is giving every sign that she will.

“It is still early days but we will give her every chance to get there and this is obviously the first stepping stone.

“Breaking 37 seconds before she is even two years of age proves there is quite a lot of strength to her. Hopefully she has a big future.”

There is plenty of attractive and lucrative 710 metre events through the carnival if Hara's Luna can live up to the hopes the kennel have with her.

She has also only just ticked past two years of age, as well, showcasing how much racing is ahead of the promising stayer.

In a way, Hara's Bonnie is a reminder of how far Daley has come in the industry.

She took on the dog when she was just starting out and is now consistently competitive in Group level events across the Sunshine State just a few years down the line. 

The Feral Franky and Hara's Bonnie’s mating has already produced six individual winners.

Luna is the star of the crop so far but Hara’s Grace and Larry have also already ticked past $10,000 in career stakes in the early stages of their racing journeys.

“We only did the litter because it was sentimental for me and she has given us Luna,” Daley said.

“It has been a good little ride with her so far. It is like the full circle has come around now.”

She set tongues wagging earlier this year when she scored by nine lengths in 30.23 seconds to break the novice record at Ipswich. 

The Hara’s team – including trainer Daley and owner Tony Glover – were offered a nice sum for Luna after that record-breaking performance but they opted to race on with her.

The trainer notes that knocking back an offer for a young dog always adds a little more pressure for the remainder of their racing career but the kennel feel she can fulfil their early judgement.

She commences from the six on Thursday over 600 metres. 

“She is not bombproof at the boxes just yet but when she gets it right, she is good,” the trainer said.

“The empty box in the five will help her on Thursday night as she is only 24 kilograms.

“She has had one look out of those boxes and I was happy enough with her trial. Hopefully she can just keep improving and going on with it.

“I think she has a fairly bright future going forward. She showed a little bit at the breakers and that but she has just kept improving.”

Daley tossed up starting the dog in the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters heats on Thursday evening but went the way of the Winter Chase instead with her staying ambitions in mind.

Two heats of the Winter Chase will be held on Thursday. 

“She just loves being a race dog, she is probably one of the happiest dogs we have got in the kennel,” she said.

“She just likes being a part of it all and is a good little chaser.”

The Daley kennel is in a transition period after former kennel stars Hara’s Skye, River and Herbie were retired with the next generation making their way through.

The QGOLD features, for Queensland-bred dogs, have become a popular opener to Brisbane’s major summer and winter carnivals.

There will just be the one Final this Thursday night - the QGOLD Winter Sprint Final over 520 metres – with seven more Finals the following Thursday at Albion Park.

Heats will be held across this Thursday, Friday and Sunday.