Caption: Phil Rae with the trophy his father, Don, won with his dog Manawata, the 1938 Jim Stack Cup at Kedron Park.

By DAVID BRASCH

(Each month Chase puts the spotlight on a person and/or their ‘best friend’ – a story that gives an insight into the true heart of greyhound racing. It showcases all that is good in this sport and is a monthly tribute to much-loved greyhound identity Daryl ‘Albert’ Gleeson)

AS Churchable trainer Jamie Hosking stood behind the Albion Park 710m boxes mid-June, it was obvious he was a much-relieved man.

Jamie had just watched as Micks Recall (Dyna Double One-Paul\’s Memory) burst back into the winner\’s circle with a 41.82 victory.

It had been a long time coming.

Micks Recall, bred and owned by long-time dog man Phil Rae, is the Ipswich Futurity winner who late last year was set to become one of Queensland\’s staying stars.

That was until December when she tore a hip support.

\”It was almost two months getting that right,\” said Jamie.

\”We put her back into work and she busted a toe at her first gallop. She hurt the middle toe on an offside foot.\”

When that was repaired and the star bitch was about to be put back into training, she came on season.

\”Well, we decided because she was still very young we should give her a full three months off with the season before giving her yet another bid to get back to racing,\” said Jamie.

But, the bad luck doesn\’t end there.

\”When she came back into work, we trialled her at Albion Park over 520 metres and she went 29.97 which was fantastic,\” he said.

\”We wanted to start her over 600 metres first up, but could not get a start for her. So, the next option was to make her return to racing over 520 metres. She promptly fell.\”

It was on May 20 that Micks Recall made that comeback.

\”I couldn\’t believe it,\” said Jamie. \”But, to her credit, she took no harm from the fall. Which is something when you consider she is just 25 kilos. I thought for sure she might have had some issues in a field after that.\”

Jamie sent her to Capalaba for straight work and a series of 600m trials followed.

\”Those trials over 600 metres were only average, but I decided to toss her into a 710 metre race and the result was she won in 41.82,\” he said.

\”For her to do what she did … well! You don\’t need to be a dog trainer to know that was a pretty impressive effort. And, the result was she was selected into the Queensland squad for the State of Origin distance series.\”

Jamie says Micks Recall has come back better than ever which is something considering she has (to time of writing) raced 29 times for 12 wins and nine placings for stakes of $60,000.

The simple fact Micks Recall is racing at all is testament to the devotion to greyhounds of her owner Phil Rae.

Phil, 62, is a retired builder but has been in greyhound racing most of his life. Phil\’s grandfather Don Rae was a trainer and Phil still has the trophy Don won with his dog Manawata, the 1938 Jim Stack Cup at Kedron Park.

Phil\’s recent racing endeavours stem back to his great mate Paul Alford.

Paul tragically died while on a London business trip ion 2013.

\”Paul\’s uncle, Jeff Sattler, had a very good race bitch called Cavendish Flyer,\” said Phil. \”I approached Jeff about getting a pup from her litter litter by Fabregas.\”

Jeff sold Phil a bitch. \”I asked Col Byers to rear her for me, but he did not have any room so suggested Mick Emery and that\’s where she went,\” said Phil.

Unfortunately, the bitch fractured a leg at five months and was never even put through education. \”She never raced, was never likely to,\” said Phil. \”She doesn\’t even know she\’s a greyhound.\”

Phil decided he wanted to breed from the bitch, which he named Paul\’s Memory in honour of his late mate.

\”The first litter by Shakey Jakey were all TAB winners, but the litter by Dyna Double One have won almost $300,000.

\”Her third litter is by a dog of Jamie\’s called Arnhen Villain and I named one of those Manawata after the dog that won the Cup at Kedron Park for my grandfather.

\”He\’s already a winner,” said Phil.

A fourth mating for Paul\’s Memory is a repeat to Dyna Double One.

Phil Rae is retired, but reckons he is busier these days than when building.

\”When Jamie\’s uncle Mick (Emery) was rearing my pups, I would help out as much as I could building around the property at Churchable,\” said Phil. \”The same happens now with Jamie. I\’m out there all the time helping out.\”

When the time came to name Micks Recall, Phil wanted to name her Micks Memory after Mick Emery but that was already taken. \”I looked up the dictionary and the first alternative to memory was recall and that\’s how the bitch got her name\”.