Caption: Maxim Grieve-Jones with a very young Bam Bam (All Natural) on the day he and fellow owners and long-time mates,  Angus Wallace and Beau Bourke, chose their first greyhound.

By Pat Mcleod

When All Natural jumps from Box 1 as an expected odds-on favourite in Monday’s $112,500 Bundaberg Cup Final (531m) the most nervous person watching will be part-owner Maxim Grieve-Jones.

And he will not have a cent wagered on the outcome.

The 24-year-old may be a member of greyhound racing ‘royalty’, but the first-time owner will literally be shaking with anxiety, fear and excitement when the lids fly on Bundaberg’s biggest greyhound feature race.

“I always find it very nerve-wracking on race day,” he said.

“But 30 seconds before he jumps I start shaking, every time I watch Bam Bam (All Natural’s kennel name) race.”

Even Grieve-Jones is surprised at his emotional levels pre-race. He may be new to greyhound ownership, but is far from new to the industry.

His father, Dean Jones, owned greyhounds. Dean’s father is the late Jeff Jones, a celebrated greyhound owner/trainer/breeder/official.

Dean’s mother, Lillian Jones, is still involved in greyhound racing. She owns All Natural’s mother, Kealoah, and bred his litter.

Dean’s sister, Selena Zammit, a successful trainer in her own right, is married to leviathan greyhound identity Mick Zammit.

Mick and Selena train All Natural and his litter brother, superstar sprinter Jay Is Jay.

“I have been around greyhounds since I was born,” says Grieve-Jones

“But I still shake with anxiety and excitement and fear every time I go and watch Bam Bam race.    

“I haven’t been to the races at Bundaberg, but plan to be there on Monday.

“I think he has an amazing chance of winning on Monday.

“Bam Bam has just come off breaking the track record there (in last Monday’s heats).

“He did that out of Box 4 and now he has Box 1 in the final and this is only the third time (in 36 starts) he has drawn Box 1 and the second time was in the Ipswich Cup final, and he was scratched.

“I am nervous already. It is difficult not to get carried away and think ahead.

“I am a superstitious person and now with every indication that the dog should win …  but you never want to think that it is a foregone conclusion.

“I never consider him as a certainty. It is a greyhound race.

“I believe in the dog and that is enough.”

Caption: Max Grieve-Jones (centre) with co-owner Beau Bourke (left) and trainer Mick Zammit with All Natural after his first win, at Albion Park in July, 2022. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

Although always racing in Jay Is Jay’s shadow, All Natural has achieved his own considerable status, especially since Jay Is Jay was sidelined through injury on the eve of the Group 1 Gold Bullion at Albion Park on February 1.

In fact, in that race All Natural almost caused a sensational boilover, failing by just half a head to Victoria’s  Morton  (Jessica Sharp).

In his 36 starts to date he has accumulated 19 wins and 12 placings for a prizemoney tally of $212,615.

He is currently on a red-hot streak – nine wins from his past 10 starts, with the only ‘miss’ being his second to Morton.

Grieve-Jones said the relationships behind the ownership of All Natural was what made this ‘adventure’ even more special.

He shares ownership equally with long-time mates, and also first-time greyhound owners, Angus Wallace and Beau Bourke.

He met Angus in primary school and Beau at high school when all three attended Rochedale State High.

They are all electricians, the same age and all have birthdays in September.

They were also living at the same place when they decided to buy a greyhound.

“I have always been close to Pop (Jeff Jones) and Nan (Lillian) and would often drop over to see them,” Grieve-Jones explains.

“Pop had passed away, it was during Covid and I was visiting Nan and she was talking about this litter of pups that had just been born to Kealoah (sire Sennachie).

“I had thought about owning a greyhound, as a pet. But thought, ‘OK, I could buy one, have it race and then I could keep it as a pet’.

“I asked Nan if I could buy one. They were pretty cheap – $3000 each – and she agreed.

“When I told Angus and Beau, they were really keen on being owners as well. So, we each decided to throw in a grand.

“Better still, it was close to Christmas, and Nan said that as a Christmas present to the three of us, she would take $300 off for each share.

“So, the price came down to $2100!”

Their luck stayed with them in the selection process of which pup to buy.

“I remember going out to George’s place (Mick’s brother George Zammit, who owns a rearing and spelling farm near Ipswich),” Grieve-Jones continues.

“We wanted a male pup and when we got there, there were only two males left and the buyer in front of us bought the one we liked.

“So, we ended up with Bam Bam, but that didn’t matter because none of us knew what we were looking at.”

And the ride since has been incredible. Even the early reports from Mick and Selena were exceptional.

All Natural came third in his first start, at Grafton, and won at his second outing, on a Monday at Albion Park.

“I was at Albion Park for that first win. It was incredible,” Grieve-Jones said.

“I was nervous then and am still nervous now.”

But that nervousness has never had anything to do with betting.

None of the three have ever backed All Natural. They made a pact when the dog was about to have his first race and have stuck to it.

“We decided that if the dog wins, then we win, so no need to put a bet on.

“Also, this whole experience has been priceless.

“As owners, the three of us have had such an unbelievable, incredible ride.

“The dog has been amazing and hopefully has still got some great racing ahead of him.

“But if he was to never race again, he has done more than enough, we couldn’t be happier.”