Derby heat looms as perfect tribute for chaser’s dam

By Josh Spasaro

Possessing strong early speed, Warren Nicholls is hoping Out Of Whiskey can honour the memory of his dam in the first Queensland Derby heat over 520 metres at Q2 Parklands on Thursday night.

The promising youngster is by Whiskey Riot and out of the Churchable trainer’s former broodbitch, Arriba, who died from heart complications recently. 

Nicholls said Arriba was very good to him and he was happy he made the call to keep her at home.

The Kinlock Brae and Iona Champion brindle bitch saluted on eight occasions from 19 starts.

“She was fantastic. We had her signed up for the GAP after the third litter. This is the last litter out of her,” he said.

“And, by the time it came up we said, ‘no we’re not’. We loved her and she was good to us.

“Even in her racing career she had a short career, but she was good to us. So, we kept her at home and she passed away just a couple of months later.”

Nicholls said Arriba blessed Out Of Whiskey with good chasing ability.

“They just want to chase,” he said.

Nicholls said he had written off Out Of Whiskey’s last start where he finished last over 520 metres at Q2 Parklands last Friday night.

The start before that he was a competitive third in the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters Final over 457 metres at Q1 Lakeside on December 13.

“He has got early speed. But, a few out of his past half-dozen starts he’s probably been pre-empting the start,” he said.

“I’ve got to write it off. To get them stronger you’ve got to give them a few goes at it.

“So, I’m biting the bullet and giving him a few goes at it. He’s one of the older dogs – I think he made it (into his Queensland Derby Heat) by a couple of weeks or days.

“He can run, but I think he’s probably (better over) 457 metres. But, we’ll give him a crack.

“He was very good in that (QGOLD Emerging Sprinters Final). He ran a personal best. I’m very happy with that because there were a couple of really good dogs that he was up against.

“I thought they’d win by panels, but he was still sticking it to them at the end.”

Nicholls said he was happy to see his two-year-old blue fawn dog Out Of Whiskey draw box one for the first Queensland Derby heat on Thursday night.

“He’s pretty well won from everywhere. Outside of pre-empting the start, it didn’t matter where he drew,” he said.

“He’s got early speed when he gets it right, so you’re not going to knock back the one box, that’s for sure.”

Out Of Whiskey has registered five wins so far from his 15 starts.

But, Nicholls was reserved when asked if he had an exciting future.

“I don’t know. I thought he might’ve taken the next step already. I don’t know if he’s just slow to mature, or if he’s not going to do it,” he said.

“I thought he would’ve shown me a little more by now over this distance.

“Hopefully he can turn the corner. He’s won a few races so he’s no slouch. But, I just don’t know if he’s strong over 500 metres at this stage.”

Meanwhile, Nicholls believes Days Of Wonder also has strong early speed.

The 22-month-old bitch will start the first Futurity heat at Q2 Parklands, which is race one on the program over 520 metres on Thursday night.

The Hooked On Scotch and Days Of Thunder chaser has triumphed in two of her past four starts, with both of those wins coming over 600 metres at Q2 Parklands.

Nicholls said she will take some benefit from both victories over that longer distance.

“If she can get to the front, she doesn’t like getting crowded. But, if she can get to the front, I think she’d be hard to run down,” he said.

“That’s because she’s coming back off 600 metre races, so she’ll be strong.

“If she gets it right and her mind is on the job, she can certainly run 29.70 seconds, I reckon. She can run. It’s just a matter of which one turns up.”

Nicholls is also happy Days Of Wonder has drawn the one box.

“She’s gone all right on the bend starts with the outside boxes. But, I’m happy she’s in the one over 520 metres for sure,” he said.

Out of Nicholls’ Group 3-wininng broodbitch Days Of Thunder, he said Days Of Wonder – with four wins from 11 starts – has a good attitude.

“I think she’s more a 500 to 600 metre dog. I’d say it’s early days. I don’t think she’ll get 700 metres, or not at this stage,” he said.

“But, she wants to be there. She’s keen, so that’s all you need in a pup. She has got a little bit of ability, so how fast she goes I don’t really know.”