Rookie trainer Jess Wendt enjoying the breeze

By Jordan Gerrans

Aided by her four greyhound-keen sons, rookie trainer Jess Wendt is loving the challenges that come along with preparing her own kennel.

Wendt has raced Clear Breeze at all three The Q tracks so far in 2025.

She tasted her maiden success as a conditioner in late October on the Q1 Lakeside surface when her son of Fernando Bale won over 352 metres.

The Harlaxton-based trainer admits she had a tear in her eye in the catching pen when Clear Breeze crossed the line first from the two alley.

Clear Breeze jumped a length behind the field in the race but found the rail and was able to score by six lengths in 19.96 seconds.

It was his 19^th career start.

“We have been working on him jumping out of the boxes better,” Wendt said.

“If he is able to jump better then he will have more speed in the race, but he makes it up in the middle stages.

“When he put on the speed in that race he won, around that bend – I got really excited.”

Wendt prepares her greyhound, who she owns, alongside her partner Gary Dahler and four sons.

She grew up around the code on the Darling Downs, recalling the days when she went to the Toowoomba track with her uncle who trained a team of greyhounds when she was still in primary school.

Clear Breeze had one start for Lindsay Joyce, who trains out of Regency Downs, at Ipswich earlier this year in the rich Vince Curry series before the black and white chaser was moved on to the Wendt kennel.

The family had been keen to get into greyhound training for some time and were pleased to take on the two-year-old chaser.

“We took it really slow with him because he was coming back from an injury when we first got him,” Wendt said.

“This year we decided to get a dog and have a go at it. My kids were interested in another dog we owned and wanted one for themselves.

“I think he is doing fantastic. I like to look at the positive side of it all, I love taking him trialing and race day.

“I do not expect him to win every time, but I look at the improvement side of things.”

As well as Clear Breeze’s maiden win, he has placed on three other occasions.

He stepped up in company on Thursday evening when he took on a heat of the QGOLD Rookies series at The Q.

Clear Breeze did not figure in the finish as champion trainer Tony Zammit’s Neame claimed the heat over 457 metres in strong fashion.

Wendt believes her dog racing on a Thursday evening city program will only help his development in the long run.

“I think he got a lot out of it, racing with better class dogs,” she said.

“I got so much out of it myself, as well. It was great.”

Jess’s cousin Carlin Wendt is also in the infancy of his training career and has enjoyed recent winning success at The Q.

Jess’ four sons have a special infatuation with a greyhound named Custard in Carlin’s kennel.

Jess says Carlin has been a big help in mentoring her as a greyhound trainer and learning the tricks of the trade.

Clear Breeze is likely to have his next start down the Q Straight on Thursday of next week.