Belford all smiles about Rio Ragnar for Townsville Cup

By Josh Spasaro 

Friday night’s Group 2 Townsville Cup could be Bradley Belford’s final opportunity to add to the 2008 title he won with red brindle bitch Syanna.

The Queensland Greyhound Hall of Famer plans to oversee his last race and go travelling around Australia alongside wife Jackie by the end of this year.

But, there is no doubt they have a genuine chance with Rio Ragnar. The three-year-old brindle dog will jump from box three.

“You always want to win one at home. This is our last year – we’re done,” Belford said. 

“Probably by Christmas we’ll have no dogs and we’ll travel. Never say never, but there comes a time somewhere in your life where you’ve got to move on.

“I’ve done this all my life, so it’s just time to have a break and travel a bit.

“It’d be great to finish with one, but if you don’t, you don’t.”

By Aston Rupee and out of August Flame, Rio Ragnar brings fine form into the Townsville Cup Final over 498 metres.

He has won his past four starts, including his heat by two lengths over Hunter’s Boy, saluting in 28.56 seconds.

“He’s very strong. He came out good, but he got home a bit slower than I thought,” Belford said.

“He won’t get home that slow on Friday night.

“We’re happy to be there and what will be will be. 

"Tempting Dash and Zipping Lee will be hard to beat, and box eight (Canya Dynamite) is drawn where it wants to be.

“It’s a real hot race. It’s probably the best Cup I’ve seen for a long time. Heath Ardle’s dog Ground Control looks the winner to me, but it depends where we are early.”

Belford said he was happy with Rio Ragnar drawing box three at Townsville because of the turn which greets all chasers at box rise.

He added a good start would go a long way towards claiming the $75,000 on offer for winning connections.

“He’s pretty happy where he is because when you’re a good beginner, it’s not a bad place to be,” Belford said.

“Box one (Wicket) has drawn good, but it wants to move off a little bit. The first 20 yards will tell the race.

“But, we’re there and you give yourself a hope. The dog did run 28.37 seconds one night (August 21).

“He went around first and the track got quicker as the day went. I’m not saying he can win, but they’ll know he’s there.”

Belford has a four-from-four record with Rio Ragnar since his first race in North Queensland on August 14, after coming up from Jason Schmidt’s Churchable operation.

The veteran trainer said the key to his success was keeping him occupied.

“He had a few niggly things wrong with him, which we picked up, and we tried to keep the dog moving along and alert,” he said.

“He just likes to see what’s going on. There’s always something for him to look at. When we work dogs, he’s always standing there watching.

“It’s a matter of keeping his mind on the job and we’re just trying to keep him stimulated.

“I think his four wins are something like a total of 18 lengths.

“He came to us as a novice and had won one race. The dog is going good, but he’s never had to meet these dogs that he’s meeting.”

Belford added Rio Ragnar had the temperament to continue his winning run of form and succeed at Group 2 level.

“He’s a good sort of dog. He looks the part and does everything right,” he said.

“And, good dogs do this – whatever you teach them, they learn quick. He hasn’t been in trouble and there are no dramas in his kennel.”

With retirement from greyhound racing on the horizon, Belford said there was nothing left for him to validate as a conditioner, regardless of what happens on Friday night.

“We’ve done everything – we went to Brisbane and proved we could do it there. There’s nothing to prove anymore,” he said.

“We’ve got a caravan. To be able to get up one morning, jump in and say, ‘we’ll go tomorrow’, we can’t do that now. We’ve always had businesses and dogs. It’s just time.

“Never say never. If somebody rings and they’re desperate, I’ll have room for a couple of dogs.”

With Takeover Target and Ground Control the other local dogs also carrying four consecutive wins each into the Townsville Cup Final, Belford said greyhound racing in North Queensland was of a high standard.

“It’s as strong as I’ve ever seen it,” he said.

“No longer are the days where you look at the field and say, ‘That’ll just win’.”