Crawford’s duo begin Rockhampton Cup quest

By Isaac Murphy

Gone are the days that Brisbane greyhounds roll up to races like the Rockhampton Cup and walk away with the money.

The local quality has never been better and that’s why trainer Jeff Crawford is starting his Rockhampton Cup tilt three weeks out, with Kiss And Spin and Strike Her Pose to battle Rockhampton’s best in the Anniversary Cup heats this Wednesday night.

Both of Crawford’s charges have serious claims, with Kiss And Spin a Group 3 Flying Amy winner and Strike Her Pose in track record territory over the short course, but the trainer is tempering his expectations for this week at least.

“It’s a bit of a stretch to drive up to Rockhampton for a trial, so I saw the Anniversary Cup heats this week and thought it’d be a good chance to see them under race conditions against some of their future competition,” Crawford said.

“I’ve got no illusions of grandeur this week, they’re both seeing the track for the first time and run into some very handy local dogs - I’m hoping I just see a few signs they’ll be ready to go in a few weeks’ time.

“I considered taking them up earlier for a regular graded race, but I was going to run the risk of having them in the same race and with four going through from this week’s heats to the Final - I’d love to see them get another run.”

The duo is likely to lock horns with some familiar advisories come Rockhampton Cup time, and Crawford is keen to see just where they’re at.

“Against the better competition in the Anniversary Cup I hope that switches them on a bit quicker - their form at home has been good and I’m confident that can travel,” he said.

“I’ll make the day trip the morning of the race, leave bright and early, get up there in time to give them a walk and get ready to race, hopefully the drive up becomes a bit of a ritual over the next month.

“I’ve only been up to Rockhampton once before where I had a dog make the Cup Consolation a few years ago, I don’t know a huge amount about the track, so that’s why we go up a couple of weeks early and test the waters.”

Kiss And Spin has drawn the green rug in heat one, and Crawford is confident she’ll run home hard after recent success at headquarters.

“She had a lot of eyes on her early on when she was able to win the Flying Amy at start seven, she set the bar pretty high and while she hasn’t got back to that class yet, internally I’m very happy how she’s going,” he said.

“She came on season late last year and we’ve just nursed her along so far this preparation, she’s had some good results but what we’ve identified with her is she probably has a future over the 600 metres and maybe beyond.

“She ran home in 12.68 last week at Albion Park, so if she lands somewhere close to them tomorrow night, she should be making up lengths late and we’ll worry about the middle-distance after her Rockhampton Cup campaign.”

Crawford has his hands full with Strike Her Pose; the daughter of Fabregas has ability in spades but she’s unproven over her new trip.

“Strike Her Pose is a very immature bitch that hasn’t had a lot of racing, we were hoping she’d run well on her 500-metre debut last start, but she was never in the race, so tomorrow night will be a real acid test for her,” Crawford said.

“She’s got her quirks but she’s also a serious race bitch, if she can lead and bring her 22.31 form over the 395 at Albion, they’ll find it tough to track her down.

“She’s not a strong 500-metre bitch at this stage but she’s only just scraping the surface, I’m hoping one of these days the penny drops and she can put those brilliant times on the board a bit more consistently.”

In a big week for Crawford, he sees 2020 Queensland Greyhound of the Year finalist Classy Ethics take on some of the best in the Group 2 Association Cup at Wentworth Park Saturday night - a big ask but a race that’s worth the risk.

“Seeing the replays at the Greyhound Awards I think it jogged everyone’s memories including mine how good she can be; her owner is down in New South Wales, so we were always going to give her the chance,” he said.

“She went through a very tough season around the time she went down for the Top Gun last year and hasn’t quite been able to recapture her best.

“She’s just started to show little signs chasing Maggie Moo Moo home her last couple of runs, the trip back home might do her the world of good.”