Caption: Last year’s Dave Brett Memorial winner Tungsten Miss.

Albion Park wrap with PAT McLEOD

NO doubt there will be a quality field for the prestigious Dave Brett Memorial Maiden (Heats November 16, Final November 24) at Albion Park.

This listed race is a key event on the busy Brisbane club calendar, with plenty of trainers targeting it as an important stepping stone for up-and-comers in their kennels.

However, there is no doubt the interest and prestige that surrounds this race emanates from the man it was named after.

High-profile former racecaller and industry historian Paul Dolan clearly remembers Dave Brett coming south from Mackay in the late ‘80s.

“Dave had been very successful as a country trainer in Mackay, but he wanted to do more,” says Dolan.

“Well, he certainly achieved that. When he arrived, racing at the Gabba track, part of the race calendar year had already passed, but Dave still finished in the top 10 in what was a very hot field of trainers.

“He went on to be a successful and consistent trainer here, with his highlight being Toban Leah who was unplaced, but contested the first two Topguns in Melbourne in 1993-94. (She won the Group One Eukanuba Cup – later renamed the Winter Cup – at Albion Park in 1994.)

“But what was significant about Dave Brett was the respect he was given by his peers.

“So often through the years I have done question and answers with almost all the top trainers. During that era of the late ’80 and ‘90s one of the regular questions would be – the trainer they respected the most. Invariably the answer would be ‘Dave Brett’.

“He was that good. But what made him successful was his meticulous detail. There was routine to be followed and no stone left unturned.”

The industry is fortunate that after Dave passed away in the early 2000s son Tony has taken that kennel to even greater heights, not the least because he has inherited his father’s eye for detail.

The Dave Brett Memorial Maiden has been raced since 2002 with Tony winning it in 2009 (Velocity Force) and in 2015 (Aeroplane Jack).

The 2021 edition was won by Tom Tzouvelis’ Tungsten Miss.

*****

Classy young Brisbane dog De Ferran is another example of the many lasting friendships that are born through greyhound racing.

A very interested patron at The Creek in early October was part-owner of De Ferran, Sydney-sider Darren Leeson.

Just after the Febregas-Pennybacker chaser saluted, Leeson outlined his long association with greyhounds and with De Ferran’s trainer, Yatala (south-east Qld) based Tony Zammit.

“I remember going to Wentworth Park as a 13-year-old and seeing the racing under lights. It was magical and I fell in love with greyhound racing,” he explained.

“Over the years that progressed to punting and going to the dogs every Saturday night and then when I got to about 19 I started buying pups.

“I didn’t have a lot of luck, but by the time I was 28 I had a successful business and a bit more money, so I started buying better quality pups.

“Bloodlines and breeding really interest me and I really wanted a pup out of Just The Best-Heart Spark. I ended up buying two – City Of Sydney and M’lady’s Fool. I hit the jackpot because both ended up being the best in the litter.

“Not only that, I was a big fan of Tony Zammit, who was a friend of Heart Spark’s owner, Paul Jackson, and Tony took on the two dogs.

“That was more than 20 years ago and from recollection, I think M’lady’s Fool won the Qld Futurity and 14 races in a row.

“Tony and ‘Jacko’ and I have been friends ever since and so whenever I thought I had a good dog after that I would send it to Tony and we have had some success along the way.

“I have got a bit more serious in the past 10 years and I bought out an English bitch of the year –  Droopys Hope – and from her I bred Frieda Las Vegas, who I put with Tony and since then I have had even more luck.

“The funny thing is Frieda Las Vegas (22 wins and 16 placings from 49 starts for $125,238) was the last dog in the litter for sale. We just couldn’t sell her. So, I eventually decided to keep her and the rest is history.

“We are all excited by this dog (De Ferran). But it is all still to be done and I am not getting carried away.

“He is doing everything you want at this stage. He just keeps ticking the boxes. But whatever the dog achieves it will be because of the trainer. History shows that he (Tony) knows what he’s doing. What I love about Tony is when you start to let yourself dream about what might be Tony brings you back to earth.

“The dogs can make you look great and they can make you look like a mug the next week. But that is what the whole game is about … but you can dare to dream.”

*****

Greg Stella has seen the greyhound industry through its ups and downs. For 31 years the successful trainer has been operating out of his four-acre (1.6 hectare) block at Park Ridge, just south of Brisbane.

These days he has a smallish team of six-to-eight race dogs. He is highly regarded by his peers.

So, it was interesting when he told Chase recently that he has bred a litter of eight pups, which are now 11 months old. He has kept them all.

You see, the significance of this litter is that because of the fluctuating fortunes of the greyhound racing Stella hadn’t bred a litter for nine years. Before that he had bred about 20!

“There were a few quiet times there with the industry, but it has certainly taken a positive turn now,” he said. “Everything is on the up. The new track (planned for near Ipswich by the end of 2024) especially is a big incentive.

“There are a lot more options now. Years back, with the level of prizemoney there wasn’t a lot of incentive to win races.

“It is good that the level of prizemoney has risen a lot and things are now worthwhile. There are so many more young people coming into the industry. You get a lot of people ringing up looking for greyhound trainers.”

Stella’s litter is out of his smart bitch Regal Topaz, who earned $89,215 in prizemoney from 57 starts (21-12-7), including a Winged Runner Trophy and a second in a Rockhampton Cup. The sire is Bernardo.

He also is putting the finishing touches on four pups from a Fernando Bale-Inspired Hope litter, which are not far off hitting the track.

“They all show good natural speed,” he said.

Inspired Hope is from the top shelf Zambora Brockie-Lilly Sur Seine litter that included Stinger Noir and Sequana.