Caption: Successful Rockhampton trainer Ken Boody – he is chasing his first Rockhampton Cup victory. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

By Pat McLeod

Dominant Rockhampton trainer Ken Boody has the inside running to achieving a major bucket list item – winning the Rockhampton Cup (510m).

Boody, the reigning club premiership holder in Rockhampton, has five chances across Friday night’s five Cup heats.

He already has claimed one box in Friday week’s $112,500 final, courtesy of Tagovailoa’s win in last week’s Rocky Cup Wildcard.

Significantly his two fastest dogs over the 510m in the heats, Who’s Billy (29.76sec) and Sir Banjo (29.58sec), have both drawn the red.

Who’s Billy’s chances have also improved with the scratching of Jedda Cutlack’s young speedster, Duffman, from that heat.

“The two of mine that have drawn the red are the two that I wanted to be in that position, so that makes things a little better for Friday night,” said Boody.

“I was pretty happy when the box draw came out because I really wanted Who’s Billy to draw near the fence.

“He is a real hard railer on that first bend and that often brings him undone.

“However, Box 1 should put him right in the picture.

“Sir Banjo is probably not at his best.

“He was pretty poor in his last start, although I did find something wrong with him after that run and he has had a pretty good trial since.

“He is just mixing his form a little bit.

“He is one of those dogs that, if he is not on the bunny, he doesn’t put in 100 per cent,

“But from the one he’s got every chance to get on the bunny on Friday night and he is a hard dog to catch if he gets a run.

“He can run time, however, he is quite excitable and sometimes will run his race before he gets to the boxes.

“I know the engine’s there, it is just a case of making sure it is tuned.”

Despite plenty of club premiership success, Boody admits there is a major hole in his trophy cabinet.

“I have never won the Rockhampton Cup and in fact I have never won a cup anywhere.

“So that is certainly an itch I would like to scratch.

“We ran third a couple of years ago in the Rockhampton Cup with Zip Stream and many years ago ran third in a Townsville Cup

“I have made a few, but have never got any better than third.

“So hopefully, this year.”

Boody says this year’s five cup heats do not have the same depth of quality as last year’s event, when first-place prizemoney jumped to $75,000.

Despite the same money on offer this year, Boody believes a clash with other major race events is one reason for a reduction in marquis dogs.

“There were just so many top-class dogs here last year – Jay Is Jay, Hello Mike and of course the winner Shipwreck, just to name a few,” he said.

“There are quality greyhounds across the five heats this year, but I also think possibly some people decided not to come up because they presumed there would be a lot of really good dogs nominating for the heats.”

Of the visitors, he says Tom Tzouvelis’ Saanvi, fresh from pocketing $100,000 in last Saturday night’s Golden Chase Final (520m) at Ipswich was the stand-out, with Travis Elson’s Bear’s Bullet the other major threat.

“Of the local dogs, my uncle’s dog, Out The Bottle (Michael Boody), has drawn the one, is a fast dog and will only get better,” he said.

“I also like Dallas Beckett’s dog, Magical Star, but unfortunately I think it has drawn on the wrong side of the track (Box 2).

“From what I have seen she prefers to use a little bit of the track.

“Steve Scott’s Inevitable is also no slouch.”

Boody said he was ‘very happy’ to have Tagovailoa already through to the final.

“I believe that on his day he can match it with any of these dogs,” he said.

“He knows the track. He is such a strong dog and he is real tryer.

“In the heat of the Wildcard he was knocked down and still picked himself up and won. That is what I love about him.

“I wouldn’t swap him.”