South Australian shooting for Queensland honours

By Jordan Gerrans

South Australian star chaser Apilla is primed for a tilt at Queensland racing on Thursday evening for the first time following a week under the care of the Hoggan kennel at Churchable. 

Prepared by Damien Smith at Murray Bridge East, the top SA dog man sent his boom bitch north for a trial late last week ahead of Thursday’s Group 2 Super Stayers contest at Q2 Parklands.

While connections of the Group 1 champion were slightly underwhelmed with last week’s trial, the team behind the white and black bitch believe she will take great benefit from her first look at the new complex.

The SA stayer picked up an invite into the Super Stayers decider following her triumph in the Group 1 Association Cup at Wentworth Park in the middle of April.

Smith sent his star bitch to the kennel of Ian and Kerry Hoggan at Churchable and the long-time Sunshine State participants note that she has eased into her new surrounds.

“She has settled in beautifully,” Kerry said.

“She is very consummate, she is a typical excellent race dog.

“Those sort of dogs have a very good nature and settle in no matter what the environment they are in.

“She travels really well, nothing upsets her so that is a good attribute to have in preparation for a big race.”

Apilla made a few Group Finals in her home state before announcing herself as a staying star at Wentworth Park on the big stage earlier this year.

She claimed the big 720 metre Group 1 prize in 41.97 seconds.

She has since been victorious at The Gardens in near track-record time on 715 night.

“She is a beautiful girl, there is no qualms about her,” Ian said.

“It is like she has lived here all her life. There are no problems with her.”

With Apilla having raced successfully in SA, Victoria and New South Wales, Kerry says that travel is obviously not a concern for the bitch. 

Late last week, Racing Queensland announced a star-studded line up for the $107,825 Group 2 Super Stayers Invitational at Q2 Parklands on Thursday.

The selection panel considered performances of greyhounds across the nation with Group 1 winners from four different states to contest the exclusive four-greyhound shootout.

Apilla and Smith will fly the flag for the ‘Croweaters’.

In her first look at the Q2 Parklands track on Friday, the Hoggan kennel thought she may have performed better in the early stages of the trial but considering she was not long off the plane, there were genuine excuses for the star bitch.

“It was a bit rushed and she was a bit out of her comfort zone basically,” Ian said.

“She had 12 or so hours of rest before she was trialling again. She went around and had a good look at the place.

“Her early sections were not great, but she did find the line quite nicely.

“There will be a lot of improvement from the trial as you could see she was really feeling her way around as it is completely and utterly different from where she has been.

“Like any dog, a look at the track means everything.”

The daughter of My Redeemer hasn't raced since contesting a Sandown Cup heat in the middle of May.

She has drawn the prized one alley for Thursday’s event.

“The four-dog field will help her immensely, as well,” Ian said.

“She will take improvement from racing with others as she is used to being a competitor, not a solo trial dog.

“I believe she will take great benefit from the trial. She is a dog that may give them a start, but she will be trying to run them down.

“She is a tryer, I will give her that.”

Smith was making his way to Queensland this week and will resume training his boom bitch.

Of their own dogs, the Hoggan team are hopeful a new litter by stud dog Equalizer will blossom into a smart crop of young racers in the new future.

They have around 25 race dogs in work with a lot of young ones also being broken in.

Ian says Villain Of Magic is a dog to watch later in the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival in 600 metre event.

He also nominated Professor Starr as a talented dog with the black dog going around at Q1 Lakeside on Tuesday. 

Kerry says Man On Fire was another dog she had high hopes for, with the son of Feral Franky having three wins from seven attempts on his resume.