Caption: Selena and Mick Zammit’s champion Jay Is Jay is making a comeback for Thursday night’s Ipswich Gold Cup heats. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
By PAT McLEOD
Never before had Jay Is Jay been considered the ‘next best’ in his kennel, but that is how the pecking order was shaping in the lead-up to Thursday night’s heats of the Group 1 Ipswich Gold Cup (520m).
For the first time, the sprint king stood in the shadow of his brother, All Natural.
Both celebrated group-racing veterans were each making headline comebacks for the $150,000- to-the-winner Cup series.
Jay Is Jay (kennel name ‘Mick’) may be the $1.5million dog, but within the confines of Selena and Mick Zammit’s northern Gold Coast kennels, it was ‘Bam Bam’ (All Natural) who was considered the favourite for completing a miracle return to the track.
However, those hopes were shattered early Tuesday morning when All Natural suffered a career-ending wrist injury in a final training preparation for the Cup heats.
“We are devastated,” Selena said.
“Bam Bam was going so well, back to where he used to be.
“The way he was going and his history at Ipswich, he was our best chance in the Cup.
“His preparation has been super, his win at Albion Park last Thursday night (in a BON 29.86) showed just how well he has come back from injury.
“But now, he has definitely raced his last race.
“He is off to retirement on the couch.”
Mick Zammit echoed similar sentiments in relation to Thursday night’s heats.
“He (All Natural) was our best chance,” he said.
“Both All Natural (box 7) and Jay Is Jay (box 8) did not draw well, but All Natural has a lot of early speed, which can be so crucial at Ipswich.”
The injury to All Natural has certainly dulled the fanfare surrounding Jay Is Jay’s track return, however Mick Zammit explained the superstar ‘is ready’.
“We would not even contemplate a return unless he was ticking all the boxes,” he said of Jay Is Jay, who finished second to Mackenna in an Origin Greyhound Series match-race in his last race appearance, at Albion Park on June 13.
“The only reason we started giving him some work was because he was getting really bored, barking and ripping up his bedding.
“He had put on a couple of kilos, but he was soon running some really good times.
“We started to trial him and he was going very well.
“If he wasn’t trialing in the range that he is, there would be no consideration of a comeback.
“If he was two-and-a-half years old you wouldn’t want any better.
“But, he turns four this week, so there are questions.
“Of course, we are excited for him to be back racing this Thursday night, but that is mixed with a whole range of emotions.”
Zammit quelled any concerns around the fact that Jay Is Jay has not raced at Ipswich.
“He has trialed there enough times to know the track,” he said.
“And ‘yes’, the eight box isn’t ideal, but Jay Is Jay is a seasoned runner, who will probably run a straight line from the boxes.
“It will be a tough heat and so it should be for a Group 1 race.
“There will be early speed and he will have to do well from the boxes.”
The Zammits have two other chances in the Ipswich Gold Cup heats, Cluster (box 3), from the same Sennachie x Kealoah litter as Jay Is Jay and All Natural, and Backcreek Benny (box 8), who placed second in last Saturday night’s Ipswich Derby (520m).
There will be seven strong Ipswich Gold Cup heats run on Thursday night.
North Coast trainer Travis Elson has six heat hopefuls, including last year’s Gold Cup winner Bear’s Bullet and former kennel star Hello Mike, who has not raced since January.
Among the visitors are Tom Dailly’s experienced group performer Smooth Plane, Jason Sharp’s Stormy Day, Saige Tenniele and Page One News (Kody Charles) and Kanan Stark (Steve Withers).
Greg Stella’s Magistrate, who recently lowered the Ipswich 431 track record to 24.49, will be back for another shot at elusive group 1 glory after winning the Gold Cup Consolation last year.
Three heats of the Past Members Trophy (630m) will also be run on Thursday night.
