McCarthy's bloodline keeps producing pearls

By Isaac Murphy

Trainer John McCarthy takes great pride in his work.

The Wivenhoe Pocket-based conditioner upholds one of Queensland's most respected and most successful kennels year after year. 

The trainer will come to Thursday night’s Albion Park meeting with littermates Pearls Are Us and Pearls Za Diamond lining up as live chances in their respective events, but it’s how McCarthy got them there that gives him most gratification.

“They’re both home grown we bought their mother Pearl Za Zinger as a pup at three months old, reared her and raced her and she is still producing for us,” McCarthy said.

“Pearl Za Zinger was a good Albion Park bitch, made the final of The Futurity, but it was when we began to breed with her we knew we were onto something special.”

Pearls Are Us, Pearls Za Diamond and fellow litter brother City Gent are the latest instalment in a long line of success.

“Her first litter she produced multiple winners, the most prominent of them being Slick who has given us plenty of thrills,” he said.

“She had another litter which produced Proper Gent who’s won twenty-one races, and this is her third litter, with all four-looking promising.

“It’s been incredibly satisfying to starting our own line instead of going out and buying them.”

Pearls Are Us is the most accomplished out of the Dyna Double One, Pearl Za Diamond litter, progressing through to the final of the Vince Curry series before recently posting back-to-back wins in Maiden and Novice company at Albion Park the last two weeks.

The stars have aligned for the 21 month old bitch with her induction into fifth grade coinciding with the Heats of The Easter Trophy, reserved for Fifth Grade dogs.

“The heats have come along at the ideal time for her, she was set to step up to fifth grade this week regardless, so it’s a bonus to have a chance to progress to a final where she’s not too far out of her depth,” McCarthy said.

Pearls Are Us jumps from box five in the final heat of The Easter Trophy and McCarthy is hoping she can reproduce her 30.20 run from the same draw in her Maiden.

“Looking at her last two runs she hasn’t pinged out, but she’s been left alone those first few strides and found a bit of pace,” he said.

“If she can begin on terms with them and not get cut out she’s a very good chance to go on with it.”

McCarthy has high hopes for the progressive bitch, who he believes will go much quicker once she irons out a few bad habits.

“If she can keep improving on box rise she’ll take plenty off her time because she’s been strong down the back and hasn’t had any problems closing off either,” he said.

“Taking into account general improvement with age and a bit more racing I’m confident she’s going to be a sub thirty bitch.”

Pearl Za Diamond has also found form since coming to Albion Park, checking off her Maiden, before running a strong third last start and looks a good chance to knock over her Novice from box seven in the first this week.

McCarthy said in their work at home and on the trial track Pearl Za Diamond was the quickest of the litter but was still learning her trade in a field.

“She’s the quickest of the litter, but it’s all between the ears with her, I’m hoping it will tick sometime soon like it has with her Sister,” he said.

Litter brother City Gent had an inconspicuous start to his career, running in the placings just once in his first four starts, but showed his potential in laying down a slick time in an Ipswich Maiden Heat on Tuesday.

“Their brother City Gent managed to put it all together and won in nice time (25.05) on Tuesday,” McCarthy said.

“He’s a big 34 kilo dog and has been a bit slow on the uptake I knew he could run time, but I’m glad I held him out till today because he’s taken a little longer to mature, I just hope he can run the 500 now.”