Surreal effort needed to challenge Cumbria Jack in Cyndie’s Magic Final

By Josh Spasaro

Jedda Cutlack admits she is a little anxious to go against Tony Brett’s flying Cumbria Jack in the Cyndie’s Magic Final at Q2 Parklands on Thursday night.

“You get nervous taking on dogs like that, but it’s racing and every dog gets its chance,” she said.

“So you never know.”

However, Cutlack has a well bred two-year-old red fawn dog in Surrealist who could challenge him if he is level or just off the pace on the home straight in the 600-metre feature worth $90,000.

“He’s a very good dog. He isn’t the best at the start, either. But sometimes he can time it and at least come out with them,” she said.

“If he’s sitting right behind Jack, he could run him down. He’s strong enough.”

Cutlack knows Surrealist needs to show significant improvement from box seven if he is to compete with Cumbria Jack, who drew four for the Group 2 final.

The black dog who turns three on July 7 won the third Cyndie’s Magic Heat by a staggering 10-and-a-quarter lengths in a time of 34.23 seconds last week.

Surrealist finished second in 34.96 seconds.

Last year’s National Sprint Championship winner at Q2 Parklands has captured the imagination of greyhound racing fans all around the nation.

And with New South Wales trainer Stephen Fitch sending him up to master Queensland conditioner, Brett, that combination is a force to be reckoned with.

Cutlack concedes that Cumbria Jack – by Fernando Bale and out of Cumbria Ninno – is a rare talent.

“Some dogs just tend to stand out among the rest. To do what he’s done, he’s been a very good dog,” she said.

“And he loves it up here in Brisbane. Obviously, he did great last year. “

With all that said, Cutlack is delighted with Surrealist’s progress, with 14 wins from 31 starts and over $75,000 in prizemoney.

He is out of Shishkin, who the 30-year-old trained to three wins from 20 starts, with his litter including The 715 winner Soiree and third-placegetter in last month’s Sandown Cup Final, Electrify.

The consistent Sheriff and Salsa are also full siblings with Zack Monelli the sire, and Salsa winning five of her first six starts for Greg Stella.

“They’re a phenomenal litter. I think they’ve all won city races and they’re still really young,” Cutlack said. 

Surrealist’s grand-dam is Sherbini, who has produced eight greyhounds with over $100,000 in prizemoney.

They have included Saanvi, Simulate, Scintillate, Scarlatti, Sorority and Stowaway for the powerful Cutlack and Tom Tzouvelis operation based at Park Ridge.

“Sherbini could obviously throw. To see her daughters start doing that is pretty exciting,” Cutlack said.

Cumbria Jack might have tongues wagging all over Australia at the moment, but Cutlack has also done a fine job in qualifying three Cyndie’s Magic finalists.

The other two are Pax Bostonia – under Tzouvelis’s name – and Zipping Lee.

Zipping Lee won the first heat in 34.87 seconds, with Pax Bostonia second in 35.10 seconds.

They have drawn boxes six and three, respectively.

“Zipping Lee has been a really good dog for us. She’s typically pretty reliable early and keeps in her races for most of the time,” Cutlack said.

“She’s a pretty tenacious little bitch. She definitely tries and loves getting out in front.

“I would’ve preferred her near the inside. But in saying that, she doesn’t crash to the fence. 

“Pax Bostonia has been loving the 600-metre races there. I wouldn’t have minded if he drew a bit wider. He does like to sweep around them.

“It’d be nice if he came out of the boxes better, but our hope is he’ll have a clear enough run where he can sweep around them like he normally does.”

By Hooked On Scotch and out of Super Tora, Pax Bostonia’s litter sister is Tempting Dash, who won the Bogie Leigh Futurity for Cutlack and Tzouvelis on January 8.

“Super Tora is a very good bitch. They’re the only two we’ve trained out of her, but they’re both good dogs,” Cutlack said.

If three dogs in the Cyndie’s Magic Final wasn’t enough, Cutlack will also oversee Remember Bruce and Zipping Urban in the Flying Amy Classic Final over 520 metres.

The Group 1 feature is worth $225,000.

“Maybe every single dog in that race wants to get to the fence. For us to draw five and seven is not ideal,” Cutlack said.

“But they’re in there and you never know.

“Remember Bruce is very young. He’s only won two races, but he’s strong. And for a young dog, he looks like he’ll be pretty promising.

“Urban just came off running fourth in the Ipswich Cup. He was a bit unlucky.

“I’m not saying he would’ve beaten Gold Force, but he might’ve run second or third.

“He just got a bit of a check on the corner. He’s been a pretty consistent dog for us.”