Q Straight debuts with picnic meeting on Saturday

By Josh Spasaro

Hocking has notched up three wins from his past three starts for Paul Cauchi, but the veteran Gold Coast trainer admits there’s still a question mark over how he’ll go on the Q Straight on Saturday morning.

It will be the first meeting staged at Q Straight, and despite it carrying picnic status, lots of eyes will be on the promising two-year-old who will start from the one box in race seven over 300 metres.

The sprinter has a good record on the Capalaba straight, winning twice from 11 starts there, with seven placings.

His last start on the Capalaba straight saw him finish an admirable runner-up in the Capalaba Young Guns Final over 366 metres on May 11, with $17 winning odds.

“He was well boxed in the eight. It makes a big difference,” Cauchi said.

While Saturday’s start will be his first race on the Q Straight, Hocking has won on the one-turn Q1 track in his past three starts.

Cauchi is excited to find out how Hocking – who likes the grass surface at Capalaba – will handle the sand underfoot at the Q Straight.

And, indeed, he will be interested to see if his developing sprinter can excel from the red lane.

“At Capalaba up the straight he wants to go to the outside,” Cauchi said.

Cauchi is an Australian Hall of Famer who has trained greyhounds for over 70 years.

"He’s won three at that track, but only on the circle," Cauchi said.

“He goes well at Capalaba, especially when he draws the eight box. But, because it’s on the arm, I can’t tell which way he’ll go.

“He doesn’t run wide on the (Q1) circle, so he could be suited in the one.”

The 88-year-old Cauchi has been delighted with how Hocking has bounced back from an injury that had the My Redeemer and Tahlia’s Way chaser off the track for almost four months from last October to February.

The experienced conditioner then took Hocking into his kennels from Scott Gould, winning four from 12 starts with him thus far.

“He’s standing up really good,” Cauchi said.

"When they get to him, he kicks again.

“I think there are some good races in him because it looks like he can run on."

To go with his toughness, Hocking’s natural athleticism comes from his Melbourne Cup-winning sire, My Redeemer, and out of former star race bitch and producer, Tahlia’s Way.

“She just keeps producing,” Cauchi said.

Meanwhile, Cauchi believes Born To Race – lining up in race five also over 300 metres at Q Straight on Saturday – can compete well from box five.

By Group 1-winner Tommy Shelby and out of Regal Jade – a victor of 12 races from 84 starts for Cauci’s wife, Jeanette – Born To Race has saluted on eight occasions from 31 starts.

“He’s a good dog up the straight, but he’s got to get his own way,” Cauchi said.