Spotted Elk on the comeback trail

By Alex Nolan

Trainer Graham Hall has revealed recently crowned Queensland Greyhound of the Year Spotted Elk has been given the all-clear to resume training.

The inaugural Queensland Flame winner and subsequent TAB Phoenix runner-up has been sidelined since mid-February after she suffered a stress fracture in the Group 1 Temlee at The Meadows.

Just days after Spotted Elk was honoured with the title of Queensland’s best chaser for 2021, the bitch by Paw Licking x It Gets Better underwent specialist scans to determine her racing future.

A positive outcome has given Hall the confidence to resume work with his popular bitch, with the winter features around the corner.  

Hall identified May's Sapphire Crown series at Sandown as a possible target should Spotted Elk come to hand in time.

“It’s a bit early to determine when she’ll resume just yet … she’s probably still a month to six weeks away," Hall said.  

"It all depends how quickly she responds."

Meanwhile, Spotted Elk’s litter sister Extra Malt shapes as a likely favourite for Saturday’s 40^th Anniversary Trophy at Ipswich.

Extra Malt, trained by Hall’s wife Leanne, has hit a purple patch since resuming at the Showgrounds in March and will be out to collect a fourth-straight victory, should she line up from box seven in the feature worth $15,600 to the winner.

While the weather forecast looks favourable, Hall cautioned punters that Extra Malt would be scratched should the Ipswich track present too soft.

Extra Malt was a finalist to win Queensland Greyhound of the Year after a season that saw her salute the judge first on 22 occasions, including a Group 3 win in the Ipswich Auction Series Final (520m), which will also be held this Saturday.

“She’s going as fast as she ever has,” Hall said.

“But we’ll be monitoring the weather and track very carefully.

“If the track is too soft, I will have no hesitation in scratching her.”

Extra Malt is a winner of eight from nine over the Ipswich 520m.

Fellow track specialist Showdown – who boasts five wins from nine outings over the track and trip – lines up from box three for trainer Jedda Cutlack.

Showdown’s kennelmate Sleuth has drawn box one, while Ipswich stalwart Pauline Byers’ two entrants Spring Kono and Spring Sonic have drawn boxes two and four respectively.

The 40^th Anniversary Trophy jumps at 8:38pm.