Sparked by The Flame, Tzouvelis now chases ‘the impossible’

By Pat McLeod

Miracle trainer Tom Tzouvelis achieved the improbable on Thursday night at Albion Park when he successfully guided Daysea’s Rory to victory in the Queensland Flame. 

On Friday, he started work on realizing the impossible – getting 90-year-old owner, and close family friend, Claude Dacey to The Meadows for the $1 million-to-the-winner The Phoenix on December 21.

“I would love to see Claude in Melbourne,” Tzouvelis said.

Daysea’s Rory won The Flame and Racing Queensland’s selection race for entry into the unique slot event, The Phoenix.

“Anyone who makes a race like this should be there,"  Tzouvelis said.

“You rarely get a chance to be part of a $1 million race. Hopefully he is elated enough to travel down. We will have a conversation on Friday and see how he is feeling.

“What The Meadows has done in putting this race on, it will be an iconic race and you will look back in years to come and know how great it was to be a part of it.”

The first three episodes of The Flame and The Phoenix have been amazing, however the Daysea’s Rory story line could top them all.

Just a few weeks ago veteran greyhound owner, trainer, breeder Claude Dacey handed ‘Rory’ over to trusted friend Tzouvelis because he believed his dog had something special that he couldn’t extract.

In three weeks Tzouvelis found the issue, a deep groin injury, and has transformed Rory into a potential million-dollar dog.

On Thursday night at 'The Creek' he showcased that, claiming victory over the state’s best sprinters.

Daysea’s Rory won in 29.88 seconds, finishing over the top of quality sprinters Kia Kaha (trained by Warren Nicholls), second, and third-placed Magistrate (Greg Stella).

“I was worried with the draw (box four),” Tzouvelis said.

“Kia Kaha and Magistrate are such faultless beginners and I just didn't know if we could hold them early. It is one thing beating young dogs, it is another thing beating dogs that are seasoned, tough Group performers.

“You are never confident in a race like that, but I was confident that we had the right dogs to be competitive. In running, when he got to second I was pretty confident.

“We learnt that he can come from behind and not just lead. We haven't had him very long and so we are learning a lot about him each race.”

Tzouvelis said he believed Daysea’s Rory was up to the challenge of The Phoenix.

“We are setting the bar higher and higher I hope he can reach it in a couple of weeks,” Tzouvelis said.

“One thing we learn about greyhound racing is that you have to have luck on the night.

“It will probably be as hot a field as I have seen for The Phoenix. For example, a dog like Explicit will go down as one of the top dogs of the past decade - an unbelievable dog and not the only quality dog in this race.

“So, you go into the race hoping. A lot of it will come down to the box draw. All we can do is put our best foot forward and hope that is good enough.”

Meanwhile, John McCarthy’s homebred litter keeps improving and keeps winning.

On Thursday night another of the incredible Aston Rupee and Pearl Za Diamond litter achieved feature success when Mossy Boots took out The Spark over 520 metres at Albion Park.

The curtain-raiser to The Flame showcased some of the best young talent emerging in Queensland.

Jumping perfectly from box eight, Mossy Boots led from the catching pen to claim the $12,025-to-the-winner event, after placing second in the Ipswich Futurity before claiming third in the Group 1 Ipswich Cup.

Second in The Spark was Apollo’s Sun (Martina Kirillidis) with Party Mode (Craig Gardoll) third. The winning time was 29.97 seconds.

A littermate of Mossy Boots, Affluent, finished seventh.

Another of this litter, Fast Eddie, took out the recent Ipswich Derby, but will be sidelined after being injured in an earlier race on Thursday night.

A very satisfied McCarthy said Mossy Boots would now return to Albion Park for the Emerging Sprinters on QGOLD night (heats on December 12 before the Final on December 19) and then the Group 2 Bogie Leigh Futurity (Final on January 2)

“I knew she was drawn well,” McCarthy said after Thursday night’s win.

“I said some time ago that both her and her brother (Affluent) would break 30 at Albion and that is exactly what they have done in the last two weeks.

“They are still young dogs, still learning and it really is a case of just taking it one week at a time. It is very pleasing when you breed them yourself.”

Tzouvelis’ big night began with a winning double.

Shaula, the early pace-setter for the promising Koblenz and Sherbini litter, notched her first win since coming north to the Tzouvelis kennel.

Shaula had recorded two wins at Wentworth Park, in 29.33 and 29.58 seconds, before joining several of her littermates at Park Ridge. 

On Thursday night she executed a polished run in 30.29 seconds to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths in the opening race of the night. 

Another from the Tzouvelis kennel, seasoned campaigner Tagovailoa, showed in the next race that he may have Queensland Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival aspirations with powerhouse win in a 29.84 second personal best time. 

She may be nearing the veteran class, but champion distance bitch Valpolicella remained on a winning plateau with a seven-length victory in a 710 metre free for all in 41.91 seconds.

“She has always been a very sound dog, so it is just a case of keeping her happy and healthy, hopefully through to her defence of the (Group 1) Gold Cup (held at Albion Park with the Final on January 30),” Valpolicella's trainer Tony Zammit said.

“She is getting on in age, but still has that big finish, as she showed. If she is close enough, she is certainly still good enough.”

Claude Dacey rounded out a very good night when Daysea’s Rory’s litter brother Daysea’s Kurt also won.