No photo finish yet for Munro clan’s top litter

Caption: Kirsty Munro with Mischievous Lou, one of the promising sprinters from the Munro family’s smart Out Of Range-Go Lou Go litter, trained by Ned Snow at Purga.

IPSWICH WRAP With Mike Hill

“MUM and dad are running out of wall space at home for any more photos,” says Kirsty Munro.

“It’s getting to the stage where they may have to put on an extension if they want to hang any new ones.”

Kirsty is a member of a family syndicate of owners that includes her dad Glen (manager), mum Maryanne and an uncle Doug and they are currently having wonderful success with an Out Of Range-Go Lou Go litter being trained at Purga by Ned Snow.

So far the litter has collected 20 wins, 17 at Ipswich, and all since mid-March.

And Kirsty has purchased a photo after every victory.

“She keeps ordering photos of the litter winners and I’m kept busy mailing them out,” Di O’Donnell, of Just Greyhound Photos, said last month.

“And she’s showing no signs of stopping.

“Three of the litter won again late last week at Ipswich and another was successful the following night.”

Di was referring to a Friday meeting early last month at which Extreme Tension (Maiden, 431m), Electric Man (5th Grade, 431m) and Open Jewel (4th/5th Grade, 431m) all saluted.

And Mischievous Lou – the standout of the litter so far – was successful the following night. She has since claimed her first victory in town, narrowly winning a 5th Grade (520m) at Albion Park five nights later.

So far seven siblings from the 10-member litter have been victorious, another two are chasing their first win and one still hasn’t stepped on to the track.

“Ned said the unraced dog should have his first start within a month,” Kirsty said.

The family lives in the Glastonbury district, west of Gympie, and have been associated with the sport for many years.

“My grandfather John  Munro owned and trained greyhounds and had several really good dogs that, I think, broke records at the Gabba when it first opened,” Kirsty said.

“Dad also trained, but he now breeds and rears pups before sending them to Ned (Snow).

“He loves it. He loves the dogs, it’s much more than a hobby for him.”

Kirsty said she already had a strong bond with her dad but the success of the litter ‘has made it even stronger’.

She said Go Lou Go, or Tootie as she is known at home, was the family’s main brood-bitch as the moment.

“The photos are a wonderful keepsake and reminder of the litter’s current success,” Kirsty said.

“They’re just a brilliant litter.

“A lot of love, sweat and tears went into the rearing of the pups.

“There were a lot of late-night bottle feeds and Ned and Tanya (Ned’s daughter) did a wonderful job whelping the litter.

“Unfortunately we lost one of the 11 pups early.”

Meanwhile, it was a big day for Snow with the three siblings winning.

He had previously trained the pups’ mother Go Lou Go (Barcia Bale-Ironbar Jill) for the Munro family.

And as well as the treble, Snow also produced Austrian Jewel to win the feature Shipwreck At Stud Best 8 Sprint (431m) for owner Robert Peschke.

Coincidentally, Snow owns Shipwreck with his daughter Tanya  and trained the outstanding sprinter to a wonderful 18-win career that included the Rockhampton Cup and Vince Curry Memorial  Maiden and prizemoney touching $324,000.

The veteran trainer admitted later that it was the first time in his long career he had rugged up four winners at a meeting.

“That was my best day as far as the number of winners are concerned,” Snow said.

And he considers the Go Lou Go litter ‘above average’.

“They haven’t been racing that long and they’re going well,” he said.

“Mischievous Lou is the pick of the litter so far and she’s the one going on with it.”

“She’d only had one look at Albion Park before her win.

“I had intended trialling her there but when they were looking for extra 5th grade noms I decide to give her a go.

“It turned out great and the owners were happy.”

Snow also has a big opinion of Glastonbury Man, one of four multiple winners from the litter.

“He’s all muscle and he’s going to be a good dog,” he said.

Glastonbury Man has won four of nine starts with two ‘best of meeting’ runs over 431m at Ipswich as well as two placings.

Ned leads Ipswich premiership

MEANWHILE, Snow is experience one of his best-ever seasons with the lead and collar.

Late last month he was sitting at the top of the Ipswich male trainers premiership, something he hasn’t done before, although he did finished third in 2023.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve ever led a competition,” said Snow.

“But I’ve got a lot of dogs in work.”

He had a handy advantage in the trainers title with 336 points, well clear of Jeff Crawford (193) and Cecil Druery (163) in the male competition, while Pauline Byers (282) led Jemma Daley (190) in the female division.

In the first four-and-a-half months of 2024, Snow has rugged up 41 winners at Ipswich, 10 more than Byers (31) and only four less than his 2023 full season tally of 45.

Other leading rivals include Jemma Daley (26 wins), Jeff Crawford (25) and Tom Tzouvelis (23).

Current standings in the Ipswich trainers premierships are:

Leading male: Ned Snow 336 points, Jeff Crawford 193, Cecil Druery 163, Tom Tzouvelis 159, Daniel Lee 155, Shane Topping 144, Peter O’Reilly 126, Darren Johnstone 116, Merv Page 112, Patrick Lavis 110.

Leading female: Pauline Byers 282, Jemma Daley 190, Kerry Hoggan 71, Cynthia Suttle 58, Marion Goodwin 56.

Ipswich ‘triple treat’ in July

AS the nation’s focus swings northward to Albion Park with its monster Winter Racing Carnival through June and early July, Ipswich is preparing for a feature triple treat next month.

The $18,500 Ipswich Grand Prix (732m) – an open event  for the best eight stayers – will be run on July 13, eight days after the final of the $262,505 Group 1 Queensland Cup (710m) at Albion Park.

In the past, it’s been a handy consolation for some of the beaten brigade from the Brisbane carnival.

Previous Grand Prix winners include Mullaway for Joanne Price in 2016, Jalapeno (Tony Apap 2018), Velocity Bettina (Kevin Ellis 2020), Sir Truculent (Wally Harkins 2021), Days Of Thunder (Warren Nicholls 2022) and Select Moment for Gary Mackay last year, while 2014 winner Wag Tail (Christina Harman)  holds the race and track record of 43.56s.

Meanwhile, the finals of both the $45,000 Young Guns (520m) and the $7700 Past Members (288m) will be staged on Saturday, July 20.

Heats for the Past Members are scheduled for July 11, while the Young Guns heats will be run on July 13.

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