John ‘Bunny’ Brasch previews Thursday night’s Albion Park meeting

The Golden Greys Summer Carnival hits HQ on Thursday night at ‘The Creek’ with the final of the Queensland Flame.

Plenty of interest in this $60,000 listed race with the winner being invited to contest The Phoenix (worth $1million to the victor) at The Meadows on December 17.

However, The Flame final is not the only attraction on Thursday night. Carnival addition, Qgold, kicks off this week, with the focus on Qld-bred chasers, and there will be seven heats across: Qgold Summer Chase (600m) – two heats, Qgold Emerging Sprinters (520m) – three heats, and Qgold Mixed Grade (520m) – two heats.

It’s great that Racing Queensland and the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club have put this Qgold series together to support the local owners and trainers. It gives all grades, from the young dogs through to the top grade dogs, a chance to vie for the good money on the big Qgold finals night on December 8.

The heats of these races are spread through this week on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at Albion Park.

So, let’s look at Thursday night’s meeting:

Race one: We start with a good thing, number six, Starline Express. There are plenty of dogs in this race coming back from the recent Dave Brett Memorial Maiden where Starline Express beat them hands down with sheer speed. If it can come out in similar fashion in this race it looks a pretty good thing. I thought John Catton’s dog Black Monaro (7) ran a good race in the Dave Brett Memorial. I notice Ripple Raider (3), who has been racing over the shorts, has come up to the 520m, so that could be interesting.

Race 2: You have the two proven performers – Oh Oh Range (7) and She’s Sweet (1). I have those two on the top line, with (2) Sunshine Delight and (6) Come On Aussie the next best.

Race 3: The (2) Pocket Money (Ned Snow) is coming back from a very successful campaign in Victoria. It ran a quick time to win a heat of the Hume Cup and then ran second in the final. It is back here on home soil and will be very hard to beat. The other main chance is the (3) She’s In Clover, who is racing very consistently. The interesting one is the (7) Milligan, who is stepping up to the 600 metres for the first time.

Race 4: This is Heat One of the Qgold Emerging Sprinters. I thought the top two here were the (4) Hara’s Pandora and the (5) Jimmy The Singer. Hara’s Pandora beat De Ferran five starts ago and has been mixing it in top company of late. Jimmy The Singer has run a couple of quick times at Albion Park and will be up on the speed. A big watch on the (6) Cashed Up Ashton (Robert Cooke), who has had three wins from eight starts and has done most of its racing at Grafton. This is his first Albion Park start.

Race 5: The second of the Qgold Emerging Sprinters heats. I don’t think you can go past the (5) All Natural, with four wins from six starts. It is always up on the speed and looks hard to beat. The other chances are the (1) Caramel Queen, (4) Ablett Hayze, (6) Perfect Tyrant and (8) Atomic Bill.

Race 6: The third and final heat of the Emerging Sprinters. I have this down to three winning chances – (1) Cash Master, (2) Blue Hornet and (8) Hidden Agenda. Cash Master has been flying at Grafton – seven wins and three placings from 10 starts and comes up with the red at his first go at Albion Park. Blue Hornet is a 29.94 winner at its last start at Albion Park. Hidden Agenda will need some luck from the eight.

Race 7: The first of the Qgold mixed grade – 3^rd/4^th/5th grade. We will forgive the (2) Hello Mike’s one bad run last week and will put him on top. But other big chances are the (1) Springtime Son and (3) Emerald Dragon. I thought the one other chance was the (6) Cincinnati Lana.

Race 8: The final of the Qld Flame. This is a tough, very open race. So many chances. You have speed  with (1) Tungsten Miss, (2) Tyanna Belle and (6) Springtime Jet. It will be interesting to see where Ned Snow’s classy performer Shipwreck ends up in the running. I don’t really have a stand out here. But I will put De Ferran (5) and (7) Shipwreck as my top chances, with a watch on Tungsten Miss  and Springtime Jet. It all depends on what happens on that first turn. Tyanna Belle could get a good run through. Jay Is Jay was a little disappointing last week in his first go in open company, but definitely has ability. I am unsure about the four (Hara’s Herbie) and Springtime Storm (8) is racing very well, but there is a lot of speed inside and so it might not get across. Really, there is a good argument as to why almost every runner can win, or lose, this race.

Race 9: I keep coming back to (3) Luminosity and (5) Mr. Springtime – possibly with the five having an edge over the three.

Race 10: I thought the winning chances here were (8) Sauve Ripple, (5) Shaye and the (3) Fearghal Monelli. Of the other runners with a chance, I note the (4) Keen is back from a Victorian campaign with trainer Brent Kline.

Race 11: This is certainly an open race – (5) Hello Cyndie, (7) Who Told Tiger and (8) Shanti are my selections.

Race 12: I will put on top the (2) Finglas, who was backed for a stack last week. The others with a chance: (3) Double Tiara, (4) Drink Long Necks and (5) Suzie’s Face.