Caption: A beaming Steve Scott after Farmor Beach took the Ipswich Cup honours. Now the Scott camp has targeted even bigger prizes. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos) 

By Mike Hill

FARMOR Beach is showing all the signs of becoming the next big Queensland  sprint star following his dominant victory in last month\’s $113,000 Group 2 TAB Ipswich Gold Cup (520m).

The next few months will probably tell connections just where the brilliant brindle sprinter sits against the nation\’s best.

\”It\’s going to be a hectic time between now and February,\” said Steve Scott after Farmor Beach\’s all-the-way win at Ipswich.

The Scotts – Steve and his dad Wayne – are planning an assault on the upcoming TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival at Albion Park with their budding super star.

They have pencilled in the $60,000 G2 Queensland Derby (520m) in early December, the $47,250 G3 Golden Ticket (520m) in January and the $235,000 G1 Gold Bullion (520m) in early February as the likely target races.

Farmor Beach ($3.10 fav), part-owned by Wayne and well-known owner- breeder Scott Duffy, exploded from box three in the $75,000-to-the-winner Cup final and had a near length advantage going past the post the first time with the Cyndie Elson-trained Magical Bill ($4.60) challenging down the back straight.

The Scott sprinter maintained his advantage, finally racing away to a commanding  four-length win  with Magical Bill a courageous runner-up and Peter O\’Reilly\’s consistent chaser Flying Jet ($11) another two-and-a-half lengths back third.

Farmor Beach covered the journey in a slick 30.33s – the identical time he ran in winning his Vince Curry heat and final in February.

Scott said after the Vince Curry victory that the young sprinter was \’the fastest dog I\’ve trained\’.

\”We knew we had something special early in his break-in,\” he said. \”In his second ever slip he showed us he had potential.\”

In an amazing training performance, the Scott kennel rugged up four runners in the rich Cup final – the winner as well as Farmor Watch Me, Fernando Beach and Mayoress.

\”That\’s our best record in a feature final and it\’s our richest win,\” said Steve, while his dad added: \”I\’m incredibly proud of the whole team – four runners in a Group 2 final doesn’t just happen, it\’s the product of hard work from everyone who helps us out.\”

Steve, who prepared  Farmor Beach earlier in his career before recently handing over the reins to his dad, said the highly talented sprinter was \’the best dog we\’ve had\’.

\”We knew he had to improve on his heat win (seven nights earlier) when he missed the start (5.47s first split) and had to do it tough,\” he said.

And improve he did, with a three-length quicker first sectional  (5.26s) that set up victory.

\”He got out a lot better tonight,\” a relieved Scott said.

\”He\’s a true professional and he\’s getting better with every run.\”

The win took Farmor Beach\’s record at Ipswich to five-from-five  after beginning his career with a stunning victory in the Group 3 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden earlier in the year, going through the three-race series unbeaten.

Then a trip to Melbourne in April-May couldn\’t have gone any worse for a young sprinter.

The Scotts sent Farmor Beach down to leading trainer Robbie Britton for the rich Launching Pad series.

\”The Melbourne trip was a bit of a disaster (for the dog),\” said Steve.

\”He caught the virus and the race was cancelled.

\”He then got another bug that knocked him about.

\”He lost weight and Robbie said \’take him home and let him recover\’.

\”After he came back from Melbourne we changed a few things that have obviously worked.

\”He\’s come back really good.\”

Farmor Beach returned to racing in July and in recent months has hit a purple patch winning nine of his past 11 starts over 520m, including six straight at Albion Park with a best 29.59s to his credit.

His career record now stands at 14 wins, including two Group victories,  and four minor placings from 22 starts and he has already amassed $175,600 in prizemoney.

So it\’s almost certain that the Scotts will head into the Brisbane\’s Summer Carnival full of confidence.

Meanwhile, Cindy Elson was full of praise for her two runners in the Cup final – Magical Bill (second) and litter mate Magical Hope (sixth).

\”They\’re still young and they\’re improving all the time,\” she said.

\”I couldn\’t be happier with their effort.\”

And in another incredible statistic, super sire Fernando Bale produced the three Cup placegetters after having seven of the eight runners in the final.