Caption: The Mick Johnston-trained Comedy Act will be hard to beat in the $22,000 The Golden Chase Sprint Final (431m) at Ipswich on Saturday night after two impressive series wins. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Ipswich Club’s Weekly Wrap with MIKE HILL

“WE’LL all need luck, I just hope we have a bit more than the others,” said Mick Johnston on the eve of the $22,000 The Golden Chase Sprint Final (431m) at Ipswich on Saturday night.

Johnston will rug up early favourite Comedy Act, one of three sprinters going into the final unbeaten after winning a heat and semi-final.

The other two are the Warren Nicholls-trained Kia Kaha and the Jemma Daley-prepared Johnny Koala.

“It’s a strong race and we’ll need luck,” said Johnston, who is based at Karalee, an outer Ipswich suburb.

“Comedy Act has done well in the series so far and he’s had a terrific week.

“We’re going into the final as confident as we can be, but it won’t be easy.

“They’re all good up-and-coming dogs.”

Comedy Act set the series alight two weeks ago with a flying heat victory in 24.59s – less than a length outside Regal Recall’s track record of 24.54s and followed up with another best-of-night 24.85s win in the semis last week.

Johnston said he was upbeat going into the series final and hadn’t changed a thing in his sprinter’s preparation.

“We slipped him on Monday night, something we’ve done the last few weeks, and everything seems all right,” the trainer said.

“He’s a bit highly strung and loves his work; he doesn’t like the boredom of doing nothing.

“But the box draw hasn’t been kind.”

At least Comedy Act isn’t jumping from box five – an alley he’s more than familiar with.

The black sprinter (Cosmic Chief-Who Nose Size) has drawn box five in three of his seven career starts so far and Johnston was happy to see him a bit closer to the rails in four.

“Warren Nicholls’ dog (Kia Kaha in three) seems to like the fence.

“Hopefully, they’ll leave each other alone early.

“Comedy Act should track fairly straight from box four; he’s not a hard railer.

“Whoever does the most on the night should win.”

Meanwhile, Nicholls said Kia Kaha couldn’t have done any better with two wins in the series so far.

“We’ll be putting in our best effort,” said the Churchable-based trainer.

“We’re not going to lay down … we want to win.

“Kia Kaha and Mick’s dog (Comedy Act) have similar first sections – they both ran 13.40s last week.

“From the 431m start at Ipswich, the field usually sorts itself out quickly by the time they hit the catching pen.

“This may not be the case on Saturday night.”

Like the Johnston camp, Nicholls said it was a relief not to be in box five again. Instead, Kia Kaha, who he described as a strong little racer, will jump from three in the final.

Since launching her career back in July, the talented black sprinter has drawn the yellow rug nine times in 22 starts, including her past three outings.

Nicholls also said he was happy to have drawn inside Comedy Act.

Although he feels the final is between the pair, he admits Johnny Koala has been the big improver of the series and is definitely in the mix.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.

“Kia Kaha is going really well and she’s pulled up super after her semi-final win.

“Mick’s dog is possibly a bit stronger and could run me down.

“It’s been a good series so far and it would be great to see a clean final.”

And in a bit of friendly banter at the Capalaba meeting last Sunday, Nicholls said he had jokingly asked Johnston for his address.

 “Mick said ‘Why?’ and I replied because I want to put a lock on your gate on Saturday.”

Caption: Shane Byers (centre) with mum, Pauline, and fellow trainer Shane Topping after Shane Byers rugged his first winner, Spring Tino, recently at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

SHANE Byers rugged up his first winner as a trainer at Ipswich last week and in doing so relegated his mum Pauline to the runner-up position.

Shane was successful with his only runner, the well-bred Spring Tino.

The black sprinter (Fernando Bale-Spring Barty), a $2.40 fav, was having just its second run for Byers after launching its career in country NSW with Scott Board last August.

Pauline Byers, who has been the leading trainer at Ipswich for the past four years following the passing of husband and master conditioner Col in 2019, said Shane had wanted to upgrade his licence.

As they already shared most of the training duties, she sought to have both their names on the one licence, similar to what they do in thoroughbred racing.

“I wanted us to train together on the one licence like they do in horseracing,” she said, citing Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott as a great example. (Thoroughbred racing allows up to three people to train as a training partnership.)

“But we weren’t allowed to do that.

“So, to upgrade his licence Shane had to have a greyhound in his name.”

In stepped Board Racing, who have been heavily committed to the Byers’ Drayton (near Toowoomba) kennels for many years.

With their ‘Spring’ dogs, father Greg Board and son Scott played a major part in Col Byers’ dominance at Ipswich before his passing.

Byers won the club trainers premiership nine years running (2011-19).

Board Racing has continued to support Pauline and Shane, who have developed into a formidable team in recent years.

In a previous interview, Shane said he and his Mum were just following his Dad’s tried and tested training methods.

“We haven’t changed much, we’re just doing what Dad would have done with the dogs,” he said.

“We’ve both been by his side for 40 years watching him train and simply picked up where he left off.”

Pauline, who has between 15 and 20 dogs in work, said she was finding it a harder to do many of the physical chores around the kennels these days.

“I haven’t the energy to box the dogs and I need someone to do that for me,” she said.

“Shane is taking over a lot of the physical side of training.

“I don’t know what will happen if I get sick or anything.”

Meanwhile, Shane and Spring Tino couldn’t repeat their winning effort this week.

On Tuesday, he had to settle for a second in a 4th/5th Grade (431m) behind, you guessed it, one of his Mum’s sprinters, Spring Axel.

JIMBOOMBA trainer Jayson Valentine looks to have a handy middle-distance chaser on his hands.

And like her name, she’s proving to be No Ordinary Gal.

Last Saturday, the fawn daughter of Bernardo and My Gal Penny clocked the fourth fastest 630m at Ipswich with a 36.81s gallop.

The track record is currently held by Hara’s Opal (36.51s) set last April after the same dog held the previous best at 36.66s.

And Champagne Sally, with a 36.68s, is the only other chaser to go quicker than No Ordinary Gal.

The Valentine galloper gave a glimpse of her potential seven nights earlier with a first-up victory (37.33s) over the 630m trip.

*****

MEANWHILE, patrons are reminded that Ipswich will stage its awards ceremony for the 2023 season on Saturday night.

It’s all part of the club’s big night featuring The Golden Chase Sprint Final over 431m.

Races have been named in honour of the Greyhound of the Year (Galloping Black), Male Trainer (Peter O’Reilly), Female Trainer (Pauline Byers) and Leading Owner (Board Racing).

A club spokesperson said the awards would be presented to the four winners after the running of each race carrying their name.

*****

IPSWICH is in the midst of a big month of racing.

After Saturday’s 14,000-to-the-winner final of The Golden Chase Sprint (431m), it’s on to the $7700 Past Members feature over 431m with heats (March 15) and final (March 23), and the $45,000 Rising Stars over 520m heats (March 16) and final (March 23).

Then at the end of the month, the club begins its $145,750 The Golden Chase (520m) series with heats on March  30, semi-finals on April 6 and the $100,000-to-the-winner final on April 13.

*****

OFFICIALS would like to advise patrons of the club’s big Easter Saturday night celebrations on March 30.

“Easter Bunny will be handing out treats to the kids, a jumping castle will be in operation and our very popular face painting artist will be on hand producing some wonderful creations,” a club official said.

“It is also the last Saturday of the month, meaning it’s Steak Night with our ever-popular cuts of beef high on the menu.

“It could be advisable to reserve a table.”

*****

OWNERS and trainers are advised that there will be no trials at Ipswich next Monday (March 11), however, trials will be held on Thursday night (March 14).

A club spokesman said due to changes made to the previous track maintenance model and taking into considerations regarding the track surface, Sunday (March 10) has been allocated for the club’s monthly ‘power harrow’.

“It is also our position that we do not to want to run trials on a Monday directly after the Sunday power harrow, so we will add an additional trial night on Thursday (March 14) to compensate for the lost day,” the official said.

“Obviously, this will depend on any adverse weather between now and Sunday.”

Trials will then revert back to the usual Monday and Wednesday sessions until end of the month.