Roy intending to keep winning at Rockhampton

By Josh Spasaro

Ian Campbell has called Central Queensland trainer Ken Boody a friend for over 20 years.

This means the owner of Roy Intention believes his good mate will have the in-form black dog in top condition for the Central Queensland Derby Final over 510 metres at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.

“Kenny crosses all of his Ts and dots his Is. I’m a chippy and I’ve been down there,” the Mackay-based Campbell said.

“I’ve built kennels for him and air-conditioned them. His attention to detail is great.

“He goes over his dogs all the time and he won’t just start them for the sake of it.

“He likes them to be raring to go. I rate him a very good trainer and he knows what he’s doing with his greyhounds.

“I’ve known Ken since we were in our 20s playing indoor cricket together in Mackay. He’s good-hearted and you couldn’t wish for a better friend.”

Two-year-old chaser Roy Intention has won his past three starts going into this week’s feature worth $7,840.

He will jump from box seven, the same lane he won from by a length over 407 metres on October 7.

“I rate his chances pretty high. I think he’s going to be right up there. If he begins like I know he can and crosses over, I think he’ll take some running down,” Campbell said.

“It’s a pretty hot field, but he’ll be right there if he does everything right.”

By Hooked On Scotch and out of Happy Lass, and with his third birthday on February 3 next year, Roy Intention weighs over 32kg.

“He’s a well put-together dog. He’s a big boy and a good dog to deal with. He’s good in his kennel, which makes it easier,” Campbell said.

Campbell also owns Roy Intention’s litter sister, Shiny Intention.

She has four wins from 16 career starts, and has been assigned box eight at Grade 5 level over 352 metres for Boody at Q1 Lakeside also on Wednesday night.

“When we first got her, she had some injuries. It took Kenny six months to get her to the track,” Campbell said.

“She goes OK. She’s no world-beater, but she just keeps plodding along. She’s obviously not as good as Roy.

“I bought her off Tom O’Neill, a trainer down in Melbourne. And then he rang and said ‘I’m going to sell the brother’.”

Roy Intention has 11 wins from 26 career starts and his future appears bright.

But Campbell said he would likely remain in Rockhampton.

“Hopefully, he’ll just keep ticking over. Unfortunately, he doesn’t travel that well,” he said.

“He’s travelled to Brisbane before to trial and he lost a bit of weight.

“He just didn’t handle travelling, so unless he tries again I’d say he’d just stay in Rocky.

“I’m hoping he’s competitive in the Cup heats next year. I think he’s a handy enough dog.”

Abraxos will also be tough to beat for Boody in the Central Queensland Derby Final.

To jump from box two, the blue dog who turns three on December 2 has won three of his past four starts over 407 metres.

And Boody will have Bit Fancy Nancy engaged in the Central Queensland Futurity Final on Wednesday night.

The two-year-old bitch has won three of her past four starts at Rockhampton, with two of those over 510 metres.