Caption: Trainer John McCarthy has high hopes Rusa Range can progress beyond Saturday night’s heats of the $145,750 Golden Chase series over 520m at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).
MIKE HILL’s weekly Ipswich column:
JOHN McCarthy is hoping experience and a liking for the Ipswich track can catapult his ‘honest’ sprinter Rusa Range all the way in the $145,750 Golden Chase (520m).
The rich three-week series launches on Saturday night with seven highly-appealing heats.
McCarthy, based at Wivenhoe Pocket, west of Brisbane, says Rusa Range and Kushti Bok look the best of his four kennel representatives.
And with 40 race starts under his belt, Rusa Range, drawn box 3 in heat 2, is one of the most experienced runners in the series.
The brindle sprinter (Orson Allan-Common Ground) ran sixth behind Kia Kaha in the Golden Chase Sprint Final (431m) earlier this month after winning his heat and finishing second in a semi-final.
“He likes racing at Ipswich and he has experience on his side,” said McCarthy.
“He’s a really good, honest little dog.
“He’s full of chase and puts in in all his races.
“He does handle the track and he made the Sprint final.
“The one drawback is he’s not brilliant out of the boxes.”
Rusa Range’s record currently stands at nine wins and 16 placings with earnings just over $41,000.
McCarthy also has high hopes for smart chaser Kushti Bok, which will jump from box 7 in a testing heat 6.
The black Dyna Lachlan-Pearl Za Diamond sprinter (29: 6-8-6; $58,295) has been racing successfully over 600m and 710m in recent months and is certain to be strong at the finish.
McCarthy has given the chaser a ‘freshen-up’ in readiness for the shorter series.
“He could be my best chance, but he’ll need luck,” the trainer said.
“He has ability although he lacks a bit of early speed.
“However, if he is given a bit of room, he can run time.
“He has a 30.49s PB (at the track) to his credit.”
McCarthy, who also has By Order Of in heat 5 and Rather Flash (heat 7), said he was looking forward to what was shaping up as a really interesting series.
“It’s a good concept and the prizemoney is great,” he said.
“There’s a nice smattering of handy dogs across the heats.
“It’s going to be a hard series to win.”
The first four placegetters and the four fastest fifths from Saturday’s seven heats will progress to next week’s semi-finals with the $100,000-to-the-winner final on April 13.
Some interesting facts:
* The Warren Nicholls-trained Kia Kaha (heat 1) is chasing her third successive Ipswich feature victory following wins in the Golden Chase Sprint (431m) and the Rising Stars (520m) in recent weeks.
*Smart Sydney youngster Hush Hush makes his first interstate appearance in heat 5. The Sam Sultana-trained Barcia Bale-Mrs. Mouse sprinter comes with a Wentworth Park PB of 29.83s and reports are the dog ran a slashing 30.17s trial in his first look at the Ipswich track.
* Duffman, the Jedda Cutlack-prepared Vince Curry Memorial Maiden winner, resumes his love affair with Ipswich (in heat 6) after splitting webbing in a Rising Stars heat victory two weeks ago and missing the final. The brindle sprinter is unbeaten in four runs over the journey.
* Leading Park Ridge-based trainer Tom Tzouvelis, who has made a flying start to the 2024 season, has eight runners engaged with a strong hand in every heat. His best chances look to be Scarlatti (heat 2), Tsu’tey (heat 3), Scripted (heat 5) and Saanvi (heat 7).
PATRONS are reminded that the Ipswich club will be close today (Good Friday) and Easter Monday, while owners and trainers are advised of upcoming changes to meetings and trial days.
Trials will be held next Wednesday morning (April 3) and after the meeting on Thursday (April 4).
Bookings for both trial days open at 9am on Tuesday (April 2).
Racing Queensland has announced a program change for the club’s meeting on Friday, April 5.
Fifth Grade heats over 431m have been added to the program, while Pathways 5th Grade heats (431m) have been removed.
Meanwhile, there will be no racing at Ipswich on Thursday, April 18, and instead the club will stage its 288m meeting on Wednesday April 17.
The same situation will apply the following week with the club closed on Thursday, April 25 (Anzac Day) with 288m racing on Wednesday April 24.
The club will also be closed between May 10 and May 23 inclusive due to the Ipswich Show.
RQ advises that Ipswich meetings during this time have been transferred to the following venues:
- Friday May 10 (Day) – Albion Park;
- Saturday May 11 (Night) – Rockhampton;
- Tuesday May 14 (Night) – Albion Park;
- Friday May 17 (Twilight) – Albion Park;
- Saturday May 18 (Night) – Rockhampton;
- Tuesday May 21 (Night) – Albion Park;
- Thursday May 23 (Day) – Capalaba.
IPSWICH officials say everything is in readiness for the club’s bumper Easter celebrations on Saturday night.
Away from the track, the evening will focus on fun activities for the family.
“Easter Bunny is coming and will be hand out Easter eggs to all the kids,” a club official said.
“We’ll also have a jumping castle in operation and our very popular face painting artist will again be on hand to produce colourful creations.
“There will also be competitions and raffles throughout the night.
“And as it’s the last Saturday of the month, the club’s restaurant will feature its ever-popular Steak Night with various cuts of beef high on the menu.
“It could be advisable to reserve a table.”
