Caption:  Warren and Tracey Nicholls with Golden Chase Sprint winner Kia Kaha. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Ipswich Club’s Weekly Wrap with MIKE HILL

WARREN Nicholls has every reason to be upbeat going into Saturday night’s heats of the $45,000 Rising Stars (520m) at Ipswich.

Highly talented sprinter Kia Kaha, fresh from her stunning race record-breaking win in last weekend’s $14,000-to-the-winner Golden Chase Sprint (431m), heads his three-pronged assault on the rich series.

And to add an extra level of excitement to his week, Days Of Thunder (68: 19-9-12; $337,290), the grand stayer that Nicholls took to Group glory, gave birth to nine healthy Hooked On Scotch pups.

He and wife Tracey whelped the litter and will now rear the pups for owner Clint Gill.

“Mum and pups are doing well,” he said.

Nicholls has Kia Kaha, Inconspicuous and Blackjack Cal in the three Rising Stars heats.

The Churchable-based trainer, who has set Kia Kaha an ambitious campaign in coming weeks that also includes the $145,000 three-race Golden Chase series over 520m, said the super consistent sprinter had ‘pulled up fine’ after last weekend’s victory.

And it’s been an exciting experience for first-time owner Sally Evans, said Nicholls.

“Kia Kaha is Sally’s first dog and she’s been thrilled with the success so far,” he said.

Nicholls said the Zipping Garth-Daniel’s Loss sprinter, with a wonderful record of 11 wins and 10 placings from just 23 starts and almost $70,000 in earnings, shouldn’t be troubled by the longer trip this week.

“We gave her a freshen-up before the Sprint series and with a few weeks of racing now she’s fine,” he said.

“She’s a hard worker, never bludges at home; she just loves racing.

“I would have preferred her closer to the fence (Kia Kaha has drawn box 7), but I still think she has enough early speed to cross them.”

Nicholls said the Jamie Hosking-trained Jen’s Joy (box 4) appeared to be the main worry for his sprinter.

“Jen’s Joy has a fast 30.19s at Ipswich,” he said.

The heat also includes the Justin Bowe-prepared Tank Engine (box 8), a winner at Bundaberg on Monday, Tom Tzouvelis’ Scarlatti (box 1) has been racing over 600m of late and Terry Priest has big hopes for Alberton Park (box 3).  

Nicholls said Inconspicuous, unplaced behind All Natural in Monday’s G2 Bundaberg Cup (531m), was a work in progress.

“He’s still very immature and tends to panic a bit when he misses the start as he did in the Cup final at Bundaberg,” Nicholls said.

“He jumped to the front the week before in his heat and won.

“It’s all about building his confidence as we head towards the Winter Carnival.”

The Orson Allen-Common Ground youngster has drawn box four in a very interesting heat two, while Nicholls’ other runner Blackjack Cal (heat three) has drawn the rails, a box he has been successful from.

*****

ALL eyes will be on heat two with the return of classy sprinter Duffman.

The Jedda Cutlack-trained brindle chaser hasn’t been seen at Ipswich since his brilliant victory in the Vince Curry Memorial Maiden Final in early February.

Since then he’s picked up victories at Albion Park and Capalaba and pushed his record to five wins and three placings from just eight starts with earnings beyond $93,000.

Duffman clocked a slick 19.61s in winning his final hit-out at Capalaba on Sunday.

The Sh Avatar-She’s Some Gal youngster has drawn box three and meets a talented group including the Jemma Daley-trained Johnny Koala (box 1) and Mick Johnston’s Comedy Act (box 8), fresh from their Golden Chase Sprint campaign.

*****

THE powerful Tom Tzouvelis kennel rugs up versatile sprinter Saanvi (box 6) in heat three.

The well-bred chaser (Superior Panama-Sherbini) returns from a slight offside wrist injury that saw her miss the Golden Chase Sprint semis after a hard-charging second in her heat.

Her Ipswich track stats stand at two wins and three seconds from six starts, including a super quick 30.25s (PB), and she’s certain to be strong at the finish.

Likely threats look to be the Chris Brydon-trained Garrison (box 7), with a track best of 30.24s, Jamie Hosking’s ever improving Sydney Surcharge (box 5), Brent Kline’s Snowy Waugh (box 8) and the Tony Apap-prepared Very Handy (box 2), which finished just behind the placings in Monday’s Bundaberg Cup.

MEANWHILE, Jamie Hosking is hoping a couple of impressive victories at Capalaba have done enough to sharpened smart sprinter Jen’s Joy for her Rising Stars campaign.

“Her last start at Ipswich (in February) was very disappointing,” he said. “She missed the start and did a lot of things wrong.”

Hosking then took Jen’s Joy to Capalaba earlier this month to give her ‘a tune up’ and was more than happy with the winning results.

She was consistent in both runs, clocking 19.85s and 19.84s.

“It was just to improve her starts and to help her get out straight,” he said.

“Starts are very important to her, if she misses them, she seems to get into trouble.

“She’s not very good at negotiating the field.”

Hosking is hoping his sprinter can recapture the form that enabled her to clock a flying 30.19s back in November.

*****

IT was a day for doubles at Ipswich last Friday.

No fewer than four trainers picked up a winning pair on the 11-race program:

* Darren Johnstone was successful with Stitched Up Lucy ($21) and Sirius Suzie ($9);

* Patrick Lavis landed Lamia Milania ($1.60 fav) and Sky Gambler ($1.50 fav);

* Shane Topping produced Majestic Shot ($7.50) and Bacchus Warnie ($31); and

* Ned Snow rugged up Austrian Jewel ($23) and Shot Of Gold ($4.40).

Then Warren Nicholls (Spiderbait $1.70 fav and Kia Kaha $2.70) and Daniel Bloomfield (Pirate Patchy $6 and Top Shelf Tim $4.80) joined the party on Saturday night, before Robert Cooke picked up a pair of maiden winners on Thursday with Cash Hipster ($3.50 fav) and Cash Gain ($2.20 fav).

OFFICIALS are happy to report that preparations for the club’s big Easter Saturday Night celebrations on March 30 are gaining momentum.

Highlighting the night will be heats of the club’s $145,000 Golden Chase series over 520m, while away from the track, the focus will be squarely on family activities and having fun.

“Easter Bunny is coming and will be handing out Easter eggs to the kids,” a club official said.

“We’ll also have a jumping castle in operation and our very popular face painting artist will be on hand producing wonderful creations for all the kids – young and old.

“There will be competitions and raffles during 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.”