Britton’s promising stayer remains on road to bigger future

By Pat McLeod

Tim Britton’s apprehension over Thursday night’s showdown with star chaser Valpolicella, evaporated quickly as his own rising distance star Red Dirt Road dominated the 710m showdown.

With the multi-group-winning Valpolicella (Tony Zammit) campaigning recently at the Nationals in Adelaide and then rested, Red Dirt Road has dominated the 710m distance agenda at The Creek.

The Space Star x Shiny Bright chaser has amassed eight wins and a third in his last nine starts, all over 710m and all at Albion Park.

There was a growing anticipation towards the inevitable showdown with distance queen Valpolicella on her return to Qld HQ.

“I have been nervous this week since the fields came out,” Britton admitted after Thursday night’s race in light rain.

“I saw that Valpolicella was in the field and I knew straight away, this would be a test.

“I thought we would find out tonight where he (Red Dirt Road) is at.”

However, Zammit’s champion was well below her best, never really challenging in the run, finishing fourth.

Red Dirt Road led for the majority of the journey, taking out the FFA event in 42.12 seconds, with kennelmate First Picked second and Venice Bale (Ken Boody), third.

“On tonight’s performance it looks like Valpolicella could be back to her best after a couple of runs and then we will certainly find out where we are,” Britton said.

“I was very happy with tonight. My dog gets out well for a stayer and likes it out wide.

“We are leaning now towards the Sydney Cup (a 720m Group 2 race on Million Dollar Chase final night at Wentworth Park, October 18).

“Then after that possibly Melbourne for some of the spring racing carnival there.”

An interesting addition to Thursday night’s 710m FFA was Venice Bale and trainer Ken Boody.

While Venice Bale is not an infrequent visitor to Albion, the race signalled Boody’s decision to trial a move from Rockhampton to south-east Queensland.

The 48-year-old conditioner, who has won the past two Rockhampton trainer’s premierships, will join recent Townsville arrival Brad Belford at his Churchable base.

“Brad floated the idea, I spoke to my wife (Amanda), and here we are,” Boody said.

“It is a toe in the water and we will still maintain our home and kennels at Dalma (just west of Rockhampton), so we can always return there short-term or long-term.

“I have always said that I didn't really want to move to south-east Queensland, but I see things like The Q being built and there is so much potential here.

“Of course, you wonder if you are making the right decision, but there is only one way to find out.

“It is a case of nothing ventured nothing gained.”

Tom Tzouvelis isn’t straying far from the feature racing winner’s circle.

Fresh from last weekend’s Townsville Cup win (Scarlatti) and Healesville Cup third (Valhalla), his Park Ridge kennel has three runners in next week’s Publican’s Cup Final (520m).

Tzouvelis won two of the four heats on Thursday night with Saanvi and Autumn Storm saluting and then kennelmate I’m Peakin’ (Jedda Cutlack) also scored a finals berth, finishing second behind Kia Kaha (Warren Nicholls).

Both Saanvi and Autumn Storm campaigned in the recent Townsville Cup series.

“Saanvi had come back from a spell and she was probably a week short in Townsville for the heats there,” he said.

“Every week she just keeps getting better.

“She has got a bit of quality about her and did win the Golden Chase at Ipswich.

 “Another two or three weeks and you will start seeing the best out of her.

“The Ipswich Cup will be her target. She loves Ipswich.”

Tzouvelis had another big night at The Creek with four winners across the 10-race program. Also saluting were I’m Old School in a 600m FFA and Showpiece in a Masters (520m).

The winner of the fourth Publican’s Cup heat on Thursday night was Jeff Crawford’s Bootin’ Boodie.

“I was really happy with that performance considering she has been suffering from an ear infection,” said Crawford’s wife Jane, who handled the dog on Thursday night.

“Hopefully we have got on top of that.

“She was off the track for about two weeks and has only had a post-to-post and a run up the straight in the past two weeks.

“In my opinion it was a very good run for first up from two weeks off.

“This feature would be a nice one to have on the mantlepiece and also a nice one for the owner Alex Matthews.

“We have trained a couple of dogs for him and this one is showing some good promise.”

Innisplain (Gold Coast hinterland) trainer Darren Russell may not have had any luck with his runner Aussie Courage (4^th) in his heat of the Publican’s Cup, but there was still a spring in his step on Thursday night.

Russell was still buzzing from the performance of his new kennel star Wreck James, winning a heat of the Dave Brett Memorial (520m) at Albion Park on Wednesday in 29.90 seconds.

The Barcia Bale x Chase Me Honey youngster was the quickest of the five heat winners and is confirming early high opinion.

“It's never clever to get carried away with expectation,” Russell warned.

“You learn to keep just taking things as they come in this game.

“I was very happy with Wednesday’s heat run. He was well boxed (Box 7).

“I was pretty confident he would do well.

“Hopefully he can draw an outside box in the final.

“He comes from Melbourne and the same connections of another dog I am racing currently, Hilde.

“They did have a fair opinion on him. They told me the time that he had been running at break-in.

“I checked that with a couple of very good judges down there and their advice: ‘I would be taking that dog’.

“It is nice to have a dog like him in your kennel. It makes it easier to get out of bed in the morning.”

Russell said the biggest dangers in the Dave Brett Memorial Final next Thursday night would be fellow heat winners Kisses For Gran (Tony Apap) and Miraculum (Jayson Valentine).