Owner’s trip could end in champagne or sandwiches

By Pat McLeod

Greyhound owner and breeder Grahame ‘Jumpy’ Blunt will hit the road this week chasing a unique feature double, 24 hours and 624km apart.

On Wednesday night, he has the Jason Mackay-trained Elizabeth Fire exiting box one in the $10,000-to-the-winner Wauchope Cup Final at Taree.

Then on Thursday night, the Grafton-based Blunt, heads north to The Q to be trackside when his most successful dog so far, Mckeon contests the $75,000-to-the-winner Bogie Leigh Futurity Final.

“It could be a case of sipping champagne or eating Devon sandwiches,” the 71-year-old joked of his chances across the two features.

“Because that is greyhound racing. Like a yo-yo. You will never stay ‘up’.”

Blunt’s runners are from separate home-bred litters, with both out of his super broodbitch Fire On Ice.

While Elizabeth Fire is accumulating very solid race statistics, Mckeon is the star of the moment.

So far, she has collected 21 wins, 10 placings and $143,335 in prizemoney from 34 starts.  

The 2025 Casino Cup is one of the major recent victories.

Blunt says victory on Thursday night would be his biggest high across decades of greyhound ownership.

“If I was able to win on Thursday night, well that would sit at the top for me,” he says.

“I have won Group 3 and Group 2 races in the past, but this one would be special and I have also never won a Group race in Queensland.

“Mckeon already is close to the best of the dogs that I have owned, getting close to her mother Fire On Ice. Fire On Ice was in eight Group Finals, including two Group 1s and three Group 2s.

“She got into plenty of finals, but could never draw a box. Things never went her way.

“But, she proved to be a very good race dog and a very good mother.”

On Thursday night, Blunt says Mckeon’s early speed will be her biggest asset.

“If she starts like she did in the heat (crossing perfectly from box seven) then the fact that she is out of box five in the Final doesn’t matter,” he said.

“If she can get out and put some sort of a gap on them down the back, even two or three lengths, then they have to catch her. But, of course this is a Final with plenty of talent.

“The other two heat winners (Tom Tzouvelis’ Tempting Dash in box eight and Michelle Sultana’s Zipping Ariel in box six) are the biggest dangers. They are obviously two very good bitches and come from two excellent kennels.

“You cannot underestimate what dogs from kennels like that can achieve on the big Group racing nights. However, I am interested to see if there is more improvement in Mckeon over 500 metres. 

“She always appeared to me to be not a very strong 500 metre dog, but since we have been going to The Q and racing her over the 500 metres she seems to be slowly getting stronger and stronger over that distance.

“So, she might develop into a pretty good bitch over that distance. There is the potential for her to keep improving, but also you just have to take it a race at a time and just see what happens.”

Blunt explains that his association with greyhound racing and his success in the sport has come via well-known New South Wales owner, trainer and breeder Mark Moroney.

“I have known Mark for about 30 years, from when I lived down on the NSW Central Coast. We are good mates and have raced dogs together," he said. 

“He got me into the dogs and got me keen on them. I bought several pups from him and eventually I bought Fire On Ice.

“I only started breeding when Fire On Ice retired. I retired also soon after and came up to Grafton.

“When Mckeon’s litter came along Mark didn't have any room in his kennel, I asked (Moroney’s uncle) Mick (Landrigan) and he was fine to take them. I have also known Mick for about 15 years.

“He is a terrific bloke and he looks after his dogs very well. Very committed. 

"The people that I have training for me are very good trainers.”