Heddles deflects praise to dad after Capalaba Cup heat win

By Pat McLeod

Brisbane trainer Dyllan Heddles almost immediately deflected any praise towards his father, Jim, after exciting youngster Bad Boy Wilson stormed through to the final of the Group 2 Con Sciacca TAB Capalaba Cup Final (366m) on Sunday.

“Without him this doesn't happen,” Heddles said of his father after Bad Boy Wilson had sped to a 10-and-a-half-lengths victory over Swift Bill (Cyndie Elson) and Victory Road (Casey Dargusch) to win through to next Sunday’s $75,000-to-the-winner finale.

“I give him full credit. The way he goes about things is very professional.

“I had a great mentor to learn from.

“That is the hardest thing in greyhounds, to have the right person beside you when you are starting out.

“I became an owner because of dad and now I am a trainer because of dad.

“He is also very competitive and does put the pressure on sometimes, but he’s just now starting to give me just that little bit of praise.”

Bad Boy Wilson was one of seven heat winners on Sunday to progress, along with fastest second-placed dog Express Ethics (David Smith).

Bad Boy Wilson and Wollongong visitor Man Of Zeal (Glen Goodwin) both clocked a fastest winning time (19.34), while defending Cup champion, and ‘King of Capalaba’, Valhalla (Tom Tzouvelis), nudged in just behind them with a heat win in 19.35.

Heddles, 34, says the long-time local conditioner, Jim Heddles, is his ‘training partner’.

“I work fulltime (as a fitter and turner) and couldn’t do this without dad,” he says.

“We are both at Mansfield (in Brisbane’s south-east).

“I have only had a trainer’s licence for about four years, but I grew up around dogs with dad training.

“Dad has always had a lot of confidence in this dog, from day dot.

“I was optimistic, but I haven't seen as many dogs as he has.

“At 16 or 17 months of age, before the dog had raced, dad had big wraps on him.

“The dog did show ability, but it is one thing to show it in trialling and another thing to show it in racing.

“But the fact that he has won a (Capalaba) young guns and now a heat of the Capalaba Cup, I believe he has shown it.

“The future is looking pretty bright.”

Heddles said he goes into the final with the same feeling as he did for the heat, excitement rather than confidence.

“The heat win was incredible,” he said.

“You could never be confident in a race like that, but I was very happy with box (box 1) and I thought the only thing that could beat the dog was the dog himself, that was the biggest danger.

“But he did everything right and when we saw box 1 for the final then I thought, ‘he just has to do what he did today’ and he is a big chance.

“It will be a big ask to win this final, you only have to look at the dogs up the straight in the heats.

“They are mostly quality, seasoned dogs. However, he is definitely in with a shot. The time, 19.34, was incredible.

“He has only had the 13 starts (10 at Capalaba for eight wins there) and I believe he will continue to improve.

“I was impressed today. To win by 10 and a half lengths - just amazing. I wasn't surprised with the time, when he got a clear run.

“That will be the story of the final, getting a clear run is so important. Every time he races, he's going better, becoming a better race dog.

“To be frank, I believe the dog deserves to do well next Sunday. I am getting plenty of comments from other trainers about the dog’s ability.

“He is getting noticed because of that improvement.”

The Box draw for next Sunday’s Con Sciacca TAB Capalaba Cup Final (366m):

1. Bad Boy Wilson (Dyllan Heddles) 

2. Man Of Zeal (Glen Goodwin)

3. Express Ethics (David Smith)

4. All Lies Ahead (Stephen Keep)

5. It Wasn’t Me (Garry Gilbert)

6. Daysea’s Tim (Claude Dacey)

7. Simply Express (Tom Tzouvelis)

8. Valhalla (Tom Tzouvelis)

 Res: 9. Whistle Away (Garry Gilbert); 10. Rushforth Ally (Desmond Winters).