Black Comanche is back where he belongs

By Pat McLeod

Ricky Hassall knows Black Comanche is back where he belongs – racing for a share of the carnival feature spotlight.

This possible moment of glory may be a heat of a QGOLD Veterans event over 457 metres at Q1 Lakeside on Friday.

But, it funnels through to a Final on the opening night of the 2025 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival on Saturday, May 17.

“Before he broke his hock this dog was on the road to being an absolute track superstar,” Hassall explains.

“For him to come back and race as well as he is doing is just amazing, just incredible.

“He is a wonderful old warrior these days, who turned five a couple of weeks ago and is still racing so well.

“He would be the keenest dog in my kennels. He has this thing, when I am leading him to the boxes, he will take a jump every few steps. He jumps up that high.

“He is a really tough dog and I expect him to go quite well on Friday.”

Under the tutelage of master trainer Greg Stella, through 2022, Black Comanche (from a Zambora Brockie and Tahlia's Way litter) was building an impressive resume based on blistering speed.

In the race before he was injured, he claimed second behind Jemma Daley’s Hara’s Skye in a Group 3 Rising Stars Final at Albion Park.

However, just a week later he was surging to the lead in the back straight in a heat of the Ipswich Gold Cup when disaster struck – a broken hock.

Hassall says Black Comanche is a true ‘Iron Dog’, overcoming several major hurdles to continue to be a race dog.

“Just a few days after the initial operation he broke the leg again, which meant another surgery,” Hassall recounts.

“He also has had another issue that had him off the track again just recently for six months.

“That knocked him around for quite a while. He is still racing really well, of course not as fast as he used to be, but still running good times.

“He just loves coming to the track and racing and I have no doubt he will keep racing until he is six.

“However, the minute he shows me that he has lost interest in racing, well, we will pull up stumps.”

Hassall, a veteran greyhound conditioner based at Torbanlea, just north of Maryborough, has no doubt Black Comanche will threaten in Friday’s showdown, but says this older pool of greyhounds has plenty of depth.

“I like the fact that my dog is coming out of box five, but this race has plenty of chances,” Hassall said.

“Comical Bill (box one) is just one of many dangers.

“Black Comanche’s box manners have improved with age, he will perform well, but, as I said, this will not be easy.”

The QGOLD races, for Queensland-bred dogs only, will herald the start of the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.

Heats will be raced across Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week, leading into four lucrative Finals on Saturday, May 17. 

All races will be on the Q1 Lakeside, which is a one-turn track.

Finals night will also feature the $30,000-to-the-winner Lakeside Cup over 457 metres.

A second carnival night of QGOLD Finals will be staged at The Q on Thursday, May 22, this time on the Q2 Parklands, which is the two-turn track.

Hassall said veterans’ races and the QGOLD concept were extremely popular with participants.

“The fact that you have five heats for this (veterans) race says it all,” Hassall said.

“We have the dogs and they are still racing quite well. I think it is a great concept by Racing Queensland because they are looking after the older dogs.

“Then you add in The Q, the best thing to happen to greyhound racing worldwide and there is no doubt we are the envy of other states.

“I am sure you will see an influx of (interstate) trainers coming to race at The Q.”