Caption: Big Boy Bentley (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

PAT McLEOD’s weekly wrap of racing at Ipswich:

• Comments from each of the Ipswich Gold Cup heat winners

• Wrap of the Past Members Trophy heats

• Bailey Dargusch’s training debut

Big Boy Bentley is one run from delivering Ray Burman his greyhound dream before the veteran trainer hangs up the collar and lead.

The tenacious chaser’s win was one of the biggest surprises of seven absorbing TAB Ipswich Cup heats (520m) on Thursday night at the Ipswich Showgrounds track.

“We are treating this litter as the last that we will race,” Burman said after watching Big Boy Bentley storm home to win his heat over Zephyr (Gerald Corrigan) and Magistrate (Greg Stella) in 30.40s.

“My health is limiting what I can do, so yes, this final will be a highlight for (wife) Mary and I because I don’t think there will be too many more.

“Who knows what is around the corner, but next Thursday’s final could be our Group 1 swansong.”

The celebrated Park Ridge (south of Brisbane) trainers have numerous group accolades and premierships, but to date have not been able to achieve Group 1 glory.

They have won an Ipswich Cup previously, with Super Hornet in 2007, before the race had been elevated to Group 1 status.

Ray Burman believes Big Boy Bentley, who will jump from the coveted one box in a very hot final, will be more than making up the numbers.

“I think this dog is more than just a chance in the final,” he said.

“He is probably the improver in the race and will be a threat with his attitude and the way he runs.

“He is just a genuine tryer. You always hope and believe the dog is of Group 1 quality, but he is just a good young dog.

“I think he can go a little bit better than he went tonight.”

Caption: Smooth Plane (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Victorian visitor Smooth Plane (Tom Dailly) showed what a major threat he will be in the $150,000-to-the-winner final with a BON 30.13 win over Trooper Tears (Martina Kirillidis) and Danger Zone (Travis Elson).

“That was the dog’s first look at the track,” said local trainer Greg Brennan, who has looked after the dog since he arrived on Tuesday.

“He is just such a professional race dog and is a strong chance next week.

“He will go back to Melbourne first thing Friday morning and will do his normal routine back there and will probably be back Tuesday or Wednesday next week.”

Caption: Duffman (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Vince Curry Maiden winner Duffman continued his recent good form winning through with a slick 30.24 heat win over Mossy Boots (John McCarthy) and Hilde (Darren Russell).

“I am very happy with that run,” said trainer and part-owner Jedda Cutlack.

“The Vince Curry and The Ipswich Cup does have a nice ring to it, but it is just great to be in a Group 1 final.

“We ran second in this race with Sunburst (in 2022) and Duffman is very closely related to that dog.

“He does really like this track.”

Caption: Autumn Storm (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Duffman’s kennelmate Autumn Storm (Tom Tzouvelis) rebounded from some heavy interference in last Saturday night’s Ipswich Futurity Final to also claim a place in the Cup final with a strong 30.32 performance.

“I was a little worried about her tonight because she ended up on the grass last week and I thought that she might be lacking a bit of confidence,” Tzouvelis said.

“When she got to second in the running tonight, I thought she was a chance because she is so strong.

“She is just a great little dog. We took her to Townsville (for the Cup series), not because we thought she could win the cup, but for experience.

“I believe it did benefit her because she has just blossomed since then.

“Hopefully she hasn’t hit her peak just yet.”

Caption: Golden Bear (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Northern Brisbane trainer Adam McIntosh continues his turbulent, but equally thrilling ride with problematic speedster Golden Bear after his Ipswich Cup heat win.

Both Golden Bear and litter sister Kisses For Gran have exuded on-track talent, but stain that with some regrettable race behaviour.

“I am probably more exhausted than the dog,” McIntosh said after Thursday night’s heat win over Simply Express (Tom Tzouvelis) and Kanan Stark (Steve Withers) in 30.69.

“It is just the recent events. This is just the way these dogs are. They have all the ability, but my heart is in my mouth every time they race.

“The dog is his own worst enemy. But that is just him.

“I’ve had a good run, especially at this track, over the last couple of years.

“I am very grateful to be in it, my first Group 1 final and greyhound racing has given me this opportunity.

“It is very pleasing.

“We will have a good week and no matter the outcome next Thursday night, we have made a Group 1 final and that is special.”

Caption: Kia Kaha (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Churchable trainer Warren Nicholls was a little more upbeat when his excitement machine Kia Kaha continued to prove her class with a Cup heat win over Johnny No Ice (Noel Evans) and Daysea’s Rory (Claude Dacey) in 30.36.

 “I am over the moon,” he said.

“She hung on very well tonight because there were a lot of dogs in that race who can run on.

“I’m just excited to be in a Group 1 final.

“An inside box (box 2) is ideal.

“It will be a very good final, but she creates her own luck if she can start well.”

Caption: More Than Money (7) (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

More Than Money’s ‘competitive nature’ has added another Group 1 final to the list of achievements of south Brisbane trainer Pam Field.

“This dog’s biggest asset is that he is a very competitive dog. He loves to race and he loves to win,” she said after he had just edged out Cluster (Selena Zammit) and Willow’s Gift (Daniel Lee) in a very tight finish.

“That was very pleasing.

“He is there in the final and that is the main thing.

“We will have a good week and no matter the outcome next Thursday night we have been in a  Group 1 final and that is special.

“We have made two other Group 1 finals in the past with Mercy Rule, but didn’t place in either.

“Next week will be a very tall order, but he is a strong dog, so we will see.”

The Box draw for next week’s Ipswich Cup Final (520m) is: 1. Big Boy Bentley; 2. Kia Kaha; 3. Golden Bear; 4. Duffman; 5. Smooth Plane; 6. Trooper Tears; 7. Autumn Storm; 8. More Than Money. Reserves: 9. Mossy Boots; 10. Super Scrub.

Caption: Ninetymile Venom (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

John Catton’s Ninetymile Venom has thrown down the gauntlet to all other finalists in the second feature final at Ipswich next week, the Group 3 Past Members Trophy (630m).

The Fernando Bale x Ninetymile Star chaser sizzled through the middle-distance opening heat to notch a slick win in a very competitive 36.95.

While the win and time was impressive Catton indicated that Ninetymile Venom had more in the tank.

“He is a work in progress and is just starting to put it together,” Catton said after the three-and-a-quarter-length-win over Tom Tzouvelis’ I’m Old School with Born To Rave (Matt Bourke) third.

“I was very happy with that run tonight. He knows that he can do it.

“Running that sort of time tonight, he is a genuine chance for next week and shows that he is a pretty classy dog.”

Also impressive was Jemma Daley’s Hara’s Luna in her heat win in 37.10.

“We are really happy with that. She went super tonight,” said kennel trainer Tarquin Neal.

“We were actually trying to decide whether to come here for this race or head in another direction and go towards the 710 metres.

“But I think we made the right decision.

“She has certainly got the class to be a big part of this race next week, but the first heat winner (Ninetymile Venom) was very quick tonight and is probably the one to beat next week.”

Tzouvelis’ Prim And Precise held on for a tough win in the second heat.

“This dog has always been above average, so I wasn’t surprised with that performance tonight,” Tzouvelis said of the win over Garrison (Chris Brydon) and another of his chasers, Tagovailoa.

“We only recently stepped her up to 600 metres. She is bred to run distance. Her mother (Prim And Proper) was a good stayer.”

Caption: Bailey Dargusch debuts as a trainer on Friday’s Ipswich program. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)   

ONE of the most anticipated local racing debuts occurs in the third event on Ipswich’s Friday program.

No, it isn’t the latest boom chaser out of some freakishly talented litter. It is the training debut of extremely popular young industry figure, Bailey Dargusch.

Bailey, 18, has first starter Midnight Queen (box 3) in a Maiden Heat (431m).

The tall teen has been an increasingly common sight on local tracks since he gained his handler’s licence four years ago.

The son of the well-known Casey and Alan Dargusch, who operate the Golden View Greyhound Complex at Churchable, said he was ‘very excited’ to be taking his next major step in the sport.

“I received the email last Friday notifying me that I had been successful and was now a licensed trainer,” Bailey said.

“That felt very good.

“Greyhound racing is something I love and what I want to make a fulltime career out of.

“Sure, training will always have its ups and downs, but I have been fortunate to have seen that first-hand through mum and dad and how to handle that.

“They have been amazing mentors and no doubt the learning will continue, but what I have found is that I still love the dogs, still love the industry, still enjoy what I am doing even when the going gets hard.”

Bailey is about to graduate Year 12 at High School and explains that a greyhound racing career is his long-term goal.

“The plan is to do an electrical apprenticeship first before fulltime greyhound racing,” he said.

“Being an electrician is something I have been interested in for a while and, as mum and dad have said, it is good to have something to fall back onto.

“It would also be a very handy trade to have.”

Like any teen, Bailey is keen to celebrate the end of his school years, but that won’t be happening at Gold Coast Schoolies.

“Dad and I have a trip planned to Bali in mid-November,” he said.

“I am really looking forward to that. I’m keen on getting a tattoo while I am there … family related.”

Bailey said one of the biggest drawcards of greyhound racing was the people involved.

“Mum and dad have obviously been the biggest influences as far as my involvement in greyhound racing goes, but there are so many people outside of my family who have been really helpful,” he said.

“People like (trainer) Chris Brydon, one of our nearby neighbours, who I travel with to many of the race meetings. He’s always ready to give helpful tips and guidance.

“It is a great industry to be involved in.”

Bailey’s Friday’s runner, Midnight Queen, is owned by mum, Casey, who also owns and trains litter sister Pozzi Tonozzi, who will debut in Race 1, a heat of the same maiden series at Ipswich.

Bailey is quietly confident of upstaging his mother with a first-up win.

“Midnight Queen trialed very well at Ipswich recently,” he revealed.

“She has good speed, so yes, I am a bit confident.”