Let Big Al’s be Big Al’s

By Jordan Gerrans

Churchable dog man Warren Nicholls was quick to make a call about how he would handle a talented chaser in his kennel.

He decided - let Big Al’s be Big Al’s.

The National champion in the straight racing arena certainly has a mind and personality of his own and if he wasn’t as fast as he is, the top trainer may have looked to harness his boisterous attitude.

But, because it works on race day, Nicholls is comfortable letting his chaser do as he pleases.

The red brindle dog goes in search of his second Group-level title in recent months in the prestigious Capalaba Cup on Sunday.

“He is a handful at home,” Nicholls said with a laugh on Wednesday at Capalaba ahead of Sunday’s rich decider.

“He's not a bad dog in the kennel, but once he gets out, he's jumping around and carrying on like a colt. 

“We probably let him get away with it, rather than try and curb him and have him standing beside you, he's bouncing around and carrying on.

“I think he’d sook if you try to stand over him. He's got some personality, don't worry about that.

“If you're at the track and see him, he's definitely a handful. But, he's just that excited to be out, doing stuff and just wants to get on with the job, so we're not going to stop him.

“He knows he's going. He gives us a bit of grief until we get him in the car, once you get him at the track, you won't get him back in the car because he just wants to get out of the car, do his stuff, go to the kennels and get into it.

“He is a handful on race day.”

The experienced conditioner is happy to let Big Al’s be Big Al’s if he keeps running as well as he has since joining his kennel.

The chaser was crowned the 2026 Group 3 National Straight Track Final champion at Healesville in late August after winning the local qualifier at Capalaba a few weeks earlier.

The two-year-old racer has continued his strong record up the Capalaba grass straight, including a 19.45 second victory in the Queensland Straight Track Championship Final in August and another win in last Sunday’s Capalaba Cup heat.

With the National title already on his resume, the hierarchy of the Capalaba club were stoked to see the smart straight chaser in the heats last Sunday.

“It means everything. It's the biggest draw card,” Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club Chairman George Clegg said.

“He's now not only Queensland Straight Track champion, but he's the National Straight Track champion and to have him in the race, of course, is the big draw card.”

Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club Secretary Erin Cameron is on the same page as Clegg.

“We were so wrapped that he was in the heats,” Cameron said.

“We were very looking forward to it. He's an outstanding dog and we cannot wait to see him run again this Sunday.”

The Nicholls kennel has plenty of experience competing at the highest level through the deeds of Days Of Thunder, Kia Kaha and Jeremiah Fire, among others, and it has recently added Big Al’s to that list.

The trainer believes Big Al’s trip away to Healesville earlier this year will only help him in Sunday’s Group 2 Capalaba event.

 “We don't travel for this one, but it's definitely a good experience because he's raced top-grade dogs for his last 10 starts or something,” he said.

“He's accounted for a lot of those top dogs and it gives us a hell of a lot of confidence.

“Even when we were away, he travelled good, everything was good about it and I'm not scared to travel with him again, for sure.

"If he were to win on Sunday, I reckon it's icing on the cake at the moment. It's a very good race, the money's good and there are a lot of good dogs in it.

“I'd say it's a standout, if we could win it, it would be the standout of his career to date.”

Nicholls, who trains alongside his wife Tracey, branded the Corey Mutton-prepared Pop Said Yes as the dog to beat in Sunday’s Final as he scorched the turf in 19.24 seconds in his heat.

With 21 wins from just 30 starts, Big Al’s has enjoyed a remarkable career turnaround after he finished last at Dubbo on debut late last year.

He was prepared by Rebecca Baker in that New South Wales performance and quickly won four on the bounce after joining Nicholls’ operation.

“We've done nothing different. He's just adapted to what we do and he has gone on with it,” Nicholls said.

“He went okay in his trials and there was nothing wrong with the dog, we found nothing wrong with him.

“He came out and won his first four starts and we thought - what the hell have we got here - and he's just gone on with it.

“I had no idea at the start he would end up being this kind of dog. We just train him the way we do everyone else.

“The run in the heat, I was stoked with it, because this is what we've aimed for the last couple of months, is this race, so it was outstanding.

“He's really gone to the next level. We knew he had ability, so I wouldn't say surprised, but we're very happy he's kept going.”

Big Al’s has drawn the two alley for Sunday’s decider with Pop Said Yes drawn alongside him in the yellow.

Following the Capalaba Cup, Nicholls says the upcoming Lakeside Cup on the Q1 Lakeside track would be Big Al’s target race with feature races at Q2 Parklands also an option down the line.