Boody with two-pronged attack on 'Rocky' Young Guns

By Josh Spasaro

Central Queensland trainer Michael Boody might have a genuine in-form trier and natural talent lining up in the Rockhampton Young Guns Final on Wednesday night, but he remains reserved about their chances.

His bitches Lissy’s Gem and Abode’s Trilogy will line up from boxes five and eight, respectively.

Both have saluted twice from their past five starts going into the $7,840 feature over 510 metres.

“Abode’s Trilogy is a really good chaser. If she wins, the camera will go off and by accident her nose will be in front,” Boody said.

Boody is based at Dalma, just west of Rockhampton.

“In the city, she would run you so many seconds and win so much money," he said. 

“Lissy’s Gem is a guts-hard trier, but I don’t really think she runs the 500 metres that well.

“Her ability is limited. She’s only a 23.7 second dog (over 407 metres) at best. The other dog can run like (anything), but it depends how fast the others go and how fast she goes.

“She just runs along near the leaders.”

Both recent Rockhampton victories for Lissy’s Gem have come from boxes six and seven, while Abode’s Trilogy has saluted from the seven and eight lanes inside her past five starts.

That means their allocated boxes won’t worry Boody too much in a six-dog race on Wednesday night, despite both still preferring inside paths.

“They go a little bit better from the inside, but they’ve got pretty fair early speed,” he said.

“Lissy’s Gem tries hard and the other dog has got all the speed in the world, but she’s out there for a good time.”

Boody has been happy with the pups New Abode – the dam of Lissy’s Gem – has been throwing.

“In her first litter they all won, but she had Love You Peaches who raced at the highest level around the bush and down in Brisbane and won close to $100,000 in prizemoney and (26) races,” he said.

“In the next litter, More Peaches won over $150,000 and a Group 2 (Townsville Cup) race. And, this is the third litter."

Lissy’s Gem has won five times from 33 starts and Abode’s Trilogy has saluted on six occasions from 18 races.

But, a reason for Boody’s reserved judgment was because of the lack of experience his bitches have over 510 metres. 

“She (Lissy’s Gem) has had one run at 500 metres before. The other dog had two 500s lately, so she’ll be a bit fitter,” he said.