Caption: Capalaba Club suffered major flood damage earlier this year. But staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to get the club back on track. (Photos: Erin Cameron)

Capalaba Club wrap with ROWAN ANDERSON

ERIN Cameron speaks of her beloved Capalaba Greyhound Club with great passion even after  terrible weather forced the club to postpone major races twice in the past five years.

“We try to limit the features or big races at the start of the year because of the chance it may happen again,” Ms Cameron, the club’s treasurer, said.

“We used to have our Capalaba Cup Final in March, but as we have had to postpone because of rain and floods we moved it to October.

“They draw the fields and it rains.  It’s heartbreaking when that happens. Even ankle-deep water on the track means we cannot race.” 

In March this year the waters peaked at two metres, higher than in the 2011 floods.

“Truly devastating! This year was the highest flood that we have ever had.”

Ms Cameron said the unpredictability of these major weather events would impact the club for years.

She was so thankful for the committee volunteers and Racing Queensland who dug deep to get them through the worst days while the club remained closed for three months.

“Trevor McSherry (committee member and club life member) was amazing with his hard work,” Ms Cameron said. “He never leaves the place. The rest of the committee and our staff worked non-stop to get us back to racing.

“We could not have done it without the help and funding from Racing Queensland and QRIC – who sent stewards down to help us get grass off the track and fences. They were amazing.”

February features a race that means a lot to the club.

“At Capalaba we love history and in February we are holding the Jeff Jones Celebration of Life,” Ms Cameron said.

“We are honoured to run a race in his memory and his family are beautiful people.”

Ms Cameron said that the race, which is slated to become an annual event, was a prime example of how important history and the game-changers connected to the club were.

Jeff Jones was more than another trainer, but was regarded as a pillar of the greyhound racing industry in Queensland for more than a few decades.

A founding member of the QGBOTA and a former past president he lived and breathed greyhounds and his work will continue to shine a guiding light for the industry in the state.

He and his wife, Lillian, had 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

His daughter is Selena Zammit, a greyhound lover and trainer herself whose kennel has included types that have included Sequana (51:26-9-5) and Kooringa Lucy (18:8-5-2). 

With races like this continuing to be held, the legacies of those who have played such a significant part in Capalaba Greyhound racing and the sport in Queensland will never burn out.

Terry trains to top

TERRY Priest had an incredibly successful year which will see him be named the club’s trainer of the year as he edged closer to collecting 400 trainer points (387).

The race to be named Capalaba top dog of the year is a battle between three: the Ray Burman-trained bitch Champagne Jazzy, the Ryan Ayre-trained Bogie Fury, who was forced into retirement after injury cut his career short but successful with 32 wins from 59 starts, and Magical Len, the veteran campaigner out of Priest’s kennel.

The Park Ridge-based Priest knows a thing or two about dog of the year, with Magical Trav taking top honours last year.

Magical Len had run his start number 118 in the TAB Anniversary Cup Final and finished fifth, but Priest said his campaigner would head to the line every meet until he retired due to his continued love for racing.

“Unfortunately, you don’t find many masters races anymore. But you have to either run them up against Jazzy and other great talent or retire him,” Priest said.

Priest said Magical Len loved racing and would go around three times a week given his energy and keenness to hit the track.

“He has always been good but when they get older some of them lose their enthusiasm to keep racing. Lenny is not like that,” Priest said.

“He may not be the quickest dog up there, but he has always been one of the most consistent.

“He sort of lived in the shadows of his brother Magical Trav (62:27-8-8) but he keeps getting better with age.”