Caption: Ned Snow’s champion Shipwreck in full flight. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
By Pat McLeod
Ned Snow knows what it takes to win Ipswich’s prestigious Group 3 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden (520m).
That’s why there is a glint in his eye when he talks about his youngster Coffee Blast, who will exit from Box 1 in Saturday night’s third semi-final of the $75,000-to-the-winner series.
“I believe this dog (Coffee Blast) will do quite well in this series,” said Snow.
“He is a litter brother to Bernie Burrow, who has been with me for a while now.
“The owners of Bernie Burrow have a high opinion of Coffee Blast, who broke in very well, about six lengths better than Bernie Burrow.
“They asked me if I would take the faster dog on as well. I agreed and for the past three months I have been setting him for the Vince Curry.
“During that time he trialled 30.51 on a slow track at Ipswich.”
Snow, who is now based out of his greyhound facility near the new ‘The Q’ development at Purga, near Ipswich, has a long history of success in the Vince Curry Memorial, the world’s richest greyhound race for maidens.
This is the 40th series of the race and he won it back in 2003 with Woops A Daisy.
He then won it again in 2022 with his champion Shipwreck.
Snow said there are certainly similarities between Coffee Blast and Woops A Daisy.
“She (Woops A Daisy) was a very fast beginner and although she came out of Box 5 in the final, I was very confident that she would clear them, which she did,” he explains.
“Coffee Blast also has early speed and coming out of Box 1 on Saturday night in the semi-final gives you a little bit of room for confidence,” he said.
“But you have to keep in mind that these are very young dogs, inexperienced, very green.
“In the heats he (Coffee Blast) showed immaturity when he crashed across into other dogs, but he ran on well for second (to fastest heat winner Comedy Act).”
Snow also believes his other runner in the Vince Curry Memorial semi-finals, Mischievous Lou (out of Box 2 in semi-final 2) will also mature into a good race dog.
“Last Saturday night was her first time out of the boxes at Ipswich,” he said.
“She will have learnt a lot from that run (finishing fourth behind Barefoot Dave).
“So, it will be interesting to see how she jumps on Saturday night after her first race. Down the track I believe she will be quite a good dog.”
According to Snow, dogs who do well in the $112,500 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden often go on to a successful race career.
“It’s a high quality series. You have to have a good dog to win it,” he said.
Shipwreck has been out with a serious leg injury since competing in a Million Dollar Chase heat at Grafton in September, last year.
Snow said the dog would be put to stud while recuperating from the injury and there was a chance he may race again.
Shipwreck, from a prolific Out Of Range – Aussie Diamond litter, won $319,485 in prizemoney from 61 starts.
The final of the Vince Curry Memorial Maiden will be contested on Saturday night, February 3, and is the final event of the current Golden Greys Summer Carnival.
