Professor’s mentor hopeful of a ‘special moment’

By Pat McLeod

Ian Hoggan is hopeful the upcoming rich Ipswich and then Brisbane carnivals deliver Professor Snitch her special moment in the Group racing calendar.

As the veteran Churchable conditioner points out, the lightning-fast chaser has already ‘achieved’.

“Right now, she is one of the quickest females in the country and that is an achievement in itself,” Hoggan says.

The Sennachie and Fabwik bitch will contest a 520 metre event on Thursday night at Albion Park.

But, there is also an acknowledgement that something is missing – a major race win – for such a talented racer.

“As far as what I think and whether I am happy with what she has achieved at this stage of her career, it is a case of yes and no,” Hoggan says.

“She had three starts for us at the start of her career and was literally flying.

“She went to Melbourne, to Steve White, because there was a very good race coming up for her. Steve did a good job with her.

“She did contest some of the better races down in Melbourne. She ran some great races against some really hot dogs in some big races, but she never was able to win one of the really big ones.

“The owners are very happy with her and that is what is important. When she finishes racing she will be happy in retirement at their place as a broody.”

Since returning ‘home’, Professor Snitch has had eight starts and has been unplaced just once.

Overall, her statistics are, 51 starts for 14 wins, 20 placings and $129,880 in prize money, with her biggest win a Group 3 Warragul St Leger Final over 460 metres.

Hoggan says his ‘best ever’ race dog has lost nothing in raw speed.

“She is still exceptionally quick, just like she was when she left here 18 months ago,” Hoggan says.

“In her first trial when she came back from Melbourne, at Ipswich, she ran 24.6 seconds, which is running the hands off the clock. She consequently came out and won off that trial and then she had a fall at Ipswich.

“I feared that she would be out for a while, but she pulled up as good as gold and I trialled her four or five days later at Albion, post-to-post, and she went 23.8 seconds and let me tell you that is mobile, that is flying.

“So, she is racing as good as ever and her only fault these days, as she has got older, is that she is a little tardy early.

“It takes her about 50 metres to get mobile and then of course she has to go either through or around an entire field. She has made life tougher for herself in her older age.”

Hoggan knows 'Father Time' is stalking and the window for Professor Snitch to add that one missing, prestigious trophy to the mantle piece, is quickly closing.

“She will be three and a half at Christmas and that is getting to the stage in most bitches’ lives that the best racing is behind them,” Hoggan says.

“But, as long as we can keep her healthy and happy, and 'Mother Nature' doesn't intervene, we will be right.

“Age is no barrier to a lot of dogs, but when bitches get to this age you have to be prepared to accept that their race career may not be for too much longer.

“The time is coming. I would like to think there is still a very nice win ahead for her.

“If she stays sound and doesn't come into season, she will definitely contest the Ipswich Cup. And, hopefully, all going well, she will also contest some of the bigger races across the summer carnival.”

That would be a fitting farewell for Professor Snitch and an appropriate accolade for the 73-year-old Hoggan who has been training since he was 16.

He has been there, almost from the start, for ‘The Professor’. 

“She is definitely one of the most exciting dogs that we have had,” Hoggan says.

“I finished her rearing, the last six months, and then we broke her in. Right from break-in stage she showed me that she was special.

“The times that she put on the board at break-in, I remember saying back then, ‘we have something different here’.

“She just kept getting better and better and better. She would rate as the best race dog that I have ever had.”

Thursday night’s assignment in a six-dog field is another tough task.

Although boxed well in the two, jumping from ‘the red’ is Pam Field’s form chaser More Than Money and coming across at speed from the outside will be Bear’s Bullet (trained by Travis Elson) and Magistrate (Greg Stella).

“I am hoping for a good run from her on Thursday night,” Hoggan said of Professor Snitch.

“The red will jump and lead early, so hopefully she can just sit on the fence behind them.

“By the time they go through the catching pen if there is a gap there, then hopefully she will take it. There will be a lot of speed coming across, so if she can stay on the fence, stay out of trouble, she’ll be on the money.”