Caption: Phil Rudall (far right) produced a winner in his first race back as a trainer in Townsville. Phil is pictured with his wife Gerda, son Ross (green cap) and his partner Louise and son Jax and handler Keith Blanchard (yellow cap) with Showtime Dirk. (Photo: Louise Partland)

By Pat McLeod

Born-again country greyhound trainer Phil Rudall continues his successful return to the industry with promising youngster Lektra Bolt a strong chance in Tuesday night’s Townsville Young Guns Final (380m).

Rudall, 72, who stepped away from the industry in 2013 after a successful career based in Townsville, was victorious with the very first runner he rugged upon return – Showtime Dirk (maiden 380m) – in mid-April .

Since then he’s led in string of winners, including Lektra Bolt, who has won his past two outings.

Rudall says his comeback has been sweetened by the fact that it is in partnership with son Ross.

“I’m really enjoying being back involved in greyhound racing,” he said.

“I love racing the dogs, don’t get me wrong, but I certainly love working the dogs, putting time into them and getting the best out of each dog that is in my care.

“That is the satisfaction that I get.”

And that is the case with Lektra Bolt.

The Houdini Boy x Lektra Jena chaser began his race career in South Australia and was identified as a possible kennel acquisition by Phil’s son Ross.

Caption: Lektra Bolt (Phillip Rudall) wins his heat of the Townsville Young Guns (380m). The final is on Tuesday night. (Photo: Louise Partland)  

“Ross saw the dog, made approaches and we ended with the dog coming up here,” Phil explains.

“We saw a couple of videos of his early starts and he showed a great deal of speed out of the boxes and although he didn’t have a lot of strength, we thought we could work on that.

“That’s exactly what he showed when he arrived up here, a quick beginner, but with no stamina.

“But now he is really finding some strength. He is not flying the boxes like he originally was, but he is certainly strong now coming home.

“Whether he has got more distance, well at this stage he is surprising me all the time.

“He has come down almost a second from when we first trialed him through to his most recent race.

“So, he just keeps surprising us.”

Phil said there was a little bit of room for confidence going into Tuesday’s final.

“There are a number of dangers in the field, but I believe the biggest threat is Mick Hickmott’s Good Odds Viking,” he said.

“He is a very quick dog.

“For us it is just a case of getting the dog as right as you can for the race.

“You can’t do much more than that.

“He jumps from the three box and that should be fine, but it is a case of you just take what is given to you.

“You have to be philosophical about it.”

Phil knows what it takes to prepare a top racer.

In a 14-month period between December 2000 and March 2002, Rudall experienced the highs of the sport with his outstanding front-running white-and-fawn bitch Bentley Babe.

The wonderfully bred stayer (Head Honcho-Malawi Blue) qualified for 10 Group finals, winning the G1 Sandown Cup (715m), G2 Sale Cup (630m) and G2 City of Hume Cup (725m) at The Meadows and the G3 Sir John Dillon Memorial (715m) at Sandown and placing in another two.

Bentley Babe retired from the track in mid-2002 with a 62: 28-9-8 record and prizemoney just over $200,000.

Phil and Ross are based out of an 18-acre (7.3 hectares) property, at Nome, just south of Townsville.

They moved in at Christmas and have transformed the green-field site into a working greyhound operation.

“It has been a lot of hard work, but is really coming along well,” Phil said.

When Phil decided to hang up the collar and lead in 2013 he and wife Gerda pursued another of their passions – musical entertainment.

Every month they are part of a four-piece band that performs at aged care centres around Townsville – usually six shows a month.

“We are continuing to do that since we returned to greyhound racing,” Phil said.

“It is a hobby, we do it on a voluntary basis and we absolutely love it.

“My wife is a good singer. I can strum a tune and make a bit of a noise and they haven’t thrown me out yet, so I guess we are going alright.”