Caption: Trainer Jeff Crawford will be hoping talented sprinter Mukali can repeat his heat victory (above) in the $18,500 Corporate Dollars Challenge Final (520m) at Ipswich on Saturday night. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).
Ipswich Club’s Weekly Wrap with MIKE HILL
JEFF Crawford says he’s happy and proud to have his first representatives in the $18,500 Corporate Dollars Challenge Final (520m) at Ipswich on Saturday night.
Crawford is one of two trainers with dual runners in the feature that is quickly gaining a reputation for producing quality winners.
The well-respected breeder-trainer has litter brothers Teddy Foodle (box 2) and Mukali (box 6) engaged , while Tony Apap will rug up fastest heat winner Smart And Classy (box 3) and Baccarat Boy (box 5) .
The Challenge, first run in 2006, has been won by a host of talent sprinters, including Velocity Bettina, Tungsten Miss, Red Rocket, Rapala Boy, Spring Bonanza and Brandi Alexander … all went on to Group level racing.
Crawford said: “I’ve never had a dog in the Challenge final,” adding he was going into the race more hopeful than confident,
“I think the dogs in boxes one and three (Narkunda and Smart And Classy) have the wood on their rivals, but it’s a dog race and anything can happen.”
Crawford said he considered Mukali the better of his pair.
“He has the better early speed and is the more rounded race dog at the moment,” the trainer, based at Buccan in the Logan region, said.
Mukali (Go Wild Teddy-Eulogia) showed his potential with an impressive heat win last week beating the Tom Tzouvelis-trained $1.45 hot favourite Scripted.
Although it was the Crawford sprinter’s second successive victory over 520m – he’s only had two runs at the distance – it was the manner of the victory that was impressive.
Jumping from the outside box, Mukali manoeuvred himself to be on the fence inside Scripted (box 1) going down the back before hitting the lead.
The black sprinter held on for an impressive three-quarters-of-a-length victory in a smart 30.59s.
Crawford said he was disappointed that Teddy Foodle had missed the start badly in his heat, but was buoyed by the way the chaser had worked his way through the field to finish second behind Smart And Classy.
Although he’d also been slow out over the 431m trip, the trainer said he was hoping the 520m straight line start would have suit the sprinter better.
Crawford has just stepped the brothers up to the longer sprint and said there was always a question mark over their ability to handle the distance.
“However, they are starting to show that they can be competitive,” he said.
“They seem to be able to navigate through a field and should get better with more race experience.”
Meanwhile, Apap said he was highly impressed with Smart And Classy’s heat victory last week after a couple of disappointing runs at Albion Park.
The Gatton-based conditioner has only had the white and black dog (Hooked On Scotch-Vince A Bella) since mid-December after the sprinter was previously prepared by David Plummer in the Bundaberg region.
Smart And Classy has raced six times for Apap for a win and three placings.
The well-credentialed trainer said he wasn’t overly happy with some of the sprinter’s Albion Park performances and thought he’d try him at Ipswich.
He said last week’s win was Smart And Classy’s first time out of the Ipswich 520m boxes.
“To run 30.22s (BON), it was fantastic,” Apap said.
“Not too many go quicker than that … so far, so good.”
Smart And Classy has drawn three in the final, the same box he had in his heat.
“If they leave him alone early he’s a good chance,” the trainer said.
Apap was also upbeat with Baccarat Boy’s runner-up effort last week behind the Gerard Bowe-prepared Narkunda, despite a seven-length margin.
“It was a good run. He was held up in the back straight and came home strongly. I’m not saying he would have won, but he would have finished a lot closer,” he said.
Apap had been hoping for a better box for Baccarat Boy, who’ll again jump from box five in the final.
“He has ability and goes well at Ipswich,” the trainer said. “With a clear run he could be in the finish.
“I’m never ever confident going into finals and the draw does favour the red dog (Narkunda).
“He can be quick early.
“Whoever gets the luck at the first turn will be in the box seat.”
The Corporate Dollars Challenge Final (520m): 1- Narkunda (sponsor: Garrard’s Horse & Hound), 2- Teddy Foodle (Century Pools), 3- Smart And Classy (McLeod Publishing) , 4- Rich Tapestry (M & K Butchers), 5- Baccarat Boy (Just Greyhound Photos), 6- Mukali (Red Dog Mechanix), 7- Tarawi Lola (Greyhound Gear), 8- Scripted (G J Walsh & Co). Res: 9- Bogie Dominator, 10- Alberton Park.
IPSWICH officials this week welcomed new operations manager Mark Perkins.
Mr Perkins joins the club at an interesting time in greyhound racing after a long association in Australian football as a player, coach and club administrator.
After coaching senior football for 10 years in Victoria, he relocated to Brisbane in 2002 where he took up a football managing role with the Sandgate Hawks.
In 2005 Mr Perkins became the football operation manager with the Aspley Hornets.
He played an integral part in assisting the club climb from second division AFLQ to contest three grand finals in the second tier National NEAFL competition, winning the premiership in 2014.
He joins Ipswich as the club prepares for its move as an amalgamated identity with Albion Park, under the new Queensland Greyhound Racing Club banner, to the multi-million dollar three-track complex at Purga, currently being constructed.
Work is expected to be completed later this year or early in 2025.
RACING Queensland has advised stakeholders that due to an anticipated large number of nominations for the Golden Chase Sprint Series (431m) at Ipswich, heats next week will be spread over two days, with a third day provided if needed.
RQ has programmed heats on Thursday, February 22, with additional heats on Friday, February 23 and if needed heats will also be run on Saturday, February 24.
Trainers must nominate into the event in the Thursday, February 22, race meeting in OzChase to be eligible.
Nominations close on Tuesday, February 20, at 9am.
RQ said the grading department would then grade the heats accordingly and allocate heats to Thursday’s meeting with any remaining heats going to Friday and Saturday, if needed.
It said trainers would not be able to request one day or the other.
A maximum of eight semi-finals will be run on Friday, March 1, with the final on Saturday, March 9 – the same night as the club’s special awards presentation.
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IPSWICH is in the grip of two months of feature racing.
Following Saturday night’s $18,500 Corporate Dollars Challenge final and the $7700 Dash For Cash (288m), the club moves on to:
* $22,000 Golden Chase Sprint over 431m – a restricted event (heats February 22, 23 and 24, semi-finals March 1, final March 9);
* $45,000 Ipswich Rising Stars (formerly Young Guns) over 520m restricted to greyhounds 30 months and younger (heats March 16, final March 23);
* $7700 Past Members over 431m – an open event (heats March 15, final March 23).
* Group 3R $146,000 Golden Chase over 520m – a restricted event (heats on March 30, semi-finals April 6, final April 13).
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MEMBERS are reminded of the club’s ever-popular Steak Night on Saturday, February 24.
“Patrons have the choice of several 300gm cuts of beef including rump, fillet and T-bone,” said one club official.
“We have designated the last Saturday of the month as Steak Night and it is proving a big hit with diners.”
