Suli enjoying purple patch with kennel star to return

By Josh Spasaro

The leading Suli kennel is enjoying a purple patch of form and will soon be bolstered by the return of top chaser Ranger Beach ahead of Wednesday night's meeting at Rockhampton.

Kelly Suli trains alongside her husband Andrew. 

The veteran team revealed their star four-year-old, with 24 wins from 141 starts, was set to trial this week, with a return from injury for the My Redeemer and Kinlock Beach progeny just weeks away.

“He’s a magic dog. The way he’s jumping around the yard, running, ducking and diving, he’s like a 12-month-old pup at the moment,” Andrew said.

“He’s showing no soreness. He’s just a machine like his brother, Valentino Beach.

“His brother won another race in New South Wales the other day and has won 28 races in New South Wales.

“It was touch-and-go between him and Ranger. One would win and get in front of the other one and then the other one would kick back in front of the other one.

“He’ll probably have a trial Wednesday night or Sunday and be back in a month.”

If that wasn’t enough, the kennel has a number of contenders across the card at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.

Fast Freddy is one of them.

He will start from box one over 407 metres, with Andrew contemplating a crack at next month’s Townsville Cup.

The Aston Rupee and Brueghelino chaser has two wins from his past five starts, with a total of 13 victories from 53 races.

“He’s not as good as his half-brother, but if he was, we wouldn’t have him,” Andrew said.

“There aren’t too many around who are as good as Explicit, are there?

“He goes good. His back-straight speed is phenomenal, but time will tell.

“We’ll start stepping him up to 500 metres after this week and see how he trials.

“We might even look at taking him to Townsville if he goes all right.”

Brett Keeping will jump from box eight in the same race as Fast Freddy.

It will be his third start in Central Queensland after being sent north by top New South Wales trainer, Charmaine Roberts.

He has 10 wins from 23 starts, with Roberts owning him after racing his dam, Bonnie Keeping.

“He was a pretty good box dog, but he could only run 400 metres. He couldn’t run any further,” Roberts said.

“Andrew had rang a couple of times previously and wanted dogs and we didn’t have any at the time.

“So, I thought he’d be the perfect dog to go there.

“It was a good win last start because the dog in it (Cody’s Star) is one of the local champions, so he went super.”

Spring Seam is also a last-start winner for the Suli team and she will start from box two also over 407 metres on Wednesday night.

“She’s been a bit disappointing since we’ve had her. She took off and was gone at The Q, but they were over 350 metres,” Andrew Suli said.

“We put her up to 400 metres and just changed her training around.

“She’d walk past a buffet and put on weight. We moved her down to the bigger kennel block and her weight got down to around the 26kg mark.

“She trialled pretty good a couple of weeks ago, so the win on Sunday night wasn’t a shock.”

Sweet Nancy fought hard to get her maiden win on Sunday, holding off Word Smith to prevail by three-quarters of a length over 407 metres.

“She’s learning what it’s all about up this way. She’ll be better in a couple of weeks and she’s another one who came from Timmy Britton in Brisbane,” Andrew Suli said.

“They come here well educated. It’s not easier opposition here, but it’s easier to go to the first corner here.”

Britton also sent up Mini Matilda and Regarding Henry, who will make their debuts in race one for maidens on Wednesday night.

“They’ve had a couple of slips here and a couple of 400 metre runs and they’re improving every time they go around,” Andrew Suli said.

“They keep bringing their times down – that’s what I’m happy with.”

With so many talented chasers lining up at Rockhampton on Wednesday night and kennel star Ranger Beach not far from returning, Andrew said it was an exciting time.

“It’s always exciting. Everyone goes on a run. We’re going on a run at the moment,” Andrew said.

“No matter what you do, the stars just align for you. It’s exciting to watch all the hard work you put in seven days a week come to fruition at the end of the week.”