Former chaser enjoying change of racing pace

By Jordan Gerrans

From the races in Rockhampton to watching trackwork in Clermont, former chaser Burnt Me has enjoyed a change of pace since retiring.

Burnt Me won 10 races and placed on another 20 occasions from 75 attempts before retiring in the first month of this year. 

He was at his best over 407 metres at the Callaghan Park track in Rockhampton, boasting a career-best time of 23.51 seconds at the trip. 

After a strong tenure as a racing greyhound, the blue dog has eased into his post-racing career alongside jockey Emma Bell at Clermont. 

During his racing days, Burnt Me was prepared and owned by Clinton and Juanita Thompson at Tungamull in Central Queensland. 

Before heading into greyhound racing, the Thompsons were involved in the gallopers and have had an association with the Bell clan for many years. 

With the 37-year-old jockey on the hunt for a new pet, Thompson and his training partner Juanita were quick to offer up Burnt Me once they decided to end his racing career.

“We have been friends for ages, Clinton and I, and I saw heaps of articles on retired greyhounds being good pets,” Bell recalls.

“I lost my little dog last year, he was a French Bulldog, and I was looking at getting another dog.

“I thought a greyhound would be a good fit. I spoke to Clint and Juanita and it went from there.”

Burnt Me has lived with Bell in Clermont for the back end of 2025 and now goes by the name Snoop Dogg in retirement.

As Bell is busy riding trackwork for her mother Jenny Bell, among other trainers, around her local area, Snoop Dogg will often follow.

“He was a bit funny with the horses to start with but he walks around them now and is fine around them,” she said.

“He doesn’t worry about them at all.

“We were a bit worried about it to begin with, but he is really good around the horses.”

Bell has won a host of Cup races across the Central West area in her career as well as regularly riding in showpiece country race series in the city such as the Battle of the Bush and the Country Cups Challenge Final.

She also collected the premiership at Emerald this year.

She piloted Writtle for her aunty Glenda Bell in the Country Stampede decider earlier this month.

The hard-working hoop says the newcomer to her house is thriving in retirement.

“He has been pretty good – he was a little timid at the start, but he has settled in really well with me,” she said.

“He comes out with me to the horses every day and I take him for walks.

“He is a well-educated dog because he had more than 70 starts.

“He had a good temperament as a dog when he was racing. He is a really nice dog that has a beautiful temperament.

“He is really happy and friendly. Heaps of my mates have kids and he is really good with them.”

With racing in the Central West slowing down over the warmer summer months, Bell is taking a break from riding and is likely to resume at the Emerald meeting at the end of January.