Caption: The presentation dais after Shipwreck took out Thursday night’s Qgold Summer Sprint Listed Final (520m) worth $38,600 at Albion Park (Photo: Box 1 Photography)  

PAT McLEOD wraps Thursday night’s Qgold finals night at Albion Park

Ned Snow showcased brilliance that is already well documented and Robert Cooke unveiled something special on a spectacularly successful debut of the Qgold Feature Night at Albion Park on Thursday night.

While there were plenty of outstanding individual performances, it was the Qgold concept that was the highlight.

Trainer after trainer applauded the Queensland bred series that covers a variety of classes and distances that has been added to the Golden Greys Summer Carnival.

The nine finals on Thursday night were worth almost $250,000 and paraded the depth of quality greyhound racing that is currently in the Sunshine State.

“This is a terrific concept. I real boost to the industry,” said veteran trainer Snow, who took out the two main events of the night, the Summer Chase (600m), with Oh Oh Range, and the Summer Sprint (520m), with Shipwreck. Both races were worth $25,090 to the winner.

“Anybody who is in the industry now and is unhappy should not be in the industry. You can tell how well things are going by the breeding. There are a lot of people doing more breeding. We are definitely going ahead.”

For the NSW Northern Rivers-based Cooke, the 11-length win in a scintillating 29.58, by his charge, Cash Master in the Qgold Emerging Sprinters Listed Final (520m), merely confirmed what he already knew.  

“I was very confident tonight because last week was the first 500 he had ever had in his life and he ran 30.11 in a bog,” said Cooke.

“Where is this dog headed? A long way, I hope.”

Here’s what the winning trainers of all Thursday night finals winners had to say:

Qgold Rookies Listed Final (520m) $24,000:

Bear’s Bullet (Travis Elson): “This was start number four, so early days. I started her over the 395m and she showed a lot of speed. I did not know whether she would get the 500. I stepped her up only three weeks ago and gave her a trial. She went a lot better than I thought she would and broke 30 first look. She got into a lot of trouble last week in the heats, but tonight she drew the red and got the clear run. She tried her little heart out. She is a good little chaser. She is only 20 months old so only a baby. We will now try for things like the Qld Futurity and the Young Guns.”

Qgold Veterans Listed Final (520m) $24,000:

Night Capers (Peter Evans): “I was happy, very happy with that performance tonight. This is the second one of these he has won this year. (Night Capers won the TAB Carnival Masters Listed Final over 520m, as part of the winter carnival in July at Albion Park). The dog has achieved plenty. I bought him for $15,000 as a race dog. He only had about four or five starts by the time I got him and I was a little worried because it took me a while to work him out. But now, very happy.”

Qgold Emerging Stayers Listed Final (600m) $24,000:

Blue Hornet (Mary Burman): “I think the whole concept is fantastic. I saw this race was on for young dogs and although he is extremely young, the line obviously has got plenty of strength in it. The mother is Champagne Sally, who held the track record over 600 metres. So, I thought, ‘give it a shot’. I certainly thought he had some hope of running it out, but there was a bit of a question mark. But that question has been answered tonight. I am never afraid to give a dog with ability a go. You can’t win these races sitting at home. I am extremely happy and he has run a good time (35.02). I will look at the Qld Derby with him. There will be no problem with him dropping back to 500. All the boys in that litter will be given a shot at the Derby.”

Qgold Mixed Grade Listed Final (520m) $24,000:

Emerald Dragon (Paul Cauchi): “He is a pretty honest dog, who just tries hard. He has got a bit of early speed, but I did not think he could come from behind. So, tonight was a little bit of a surprise. But he is improving. He has only had about half a dozen goes over the 500, so possibly there is something for him during the summer carnival. He looks like he is getting stronger.”

Qgold Emerging Sprinters Listed Final (520m) $24,000:

Cash Master (Robert Cooke): “I was very confident tonight because last week was the first 500 he had ever had in his life and he ran 30.11 in a bog. Looking ahead, I will probably have a go at the Derby ($75,000 Qld Derby, January 5). Where is the dog headed? A long way I hope. What is special about him is that he does everything right. He has two brothers who are just as quick as him, but they are half the dog that he is just because he has everything that is good in a race dog. This bloke has brains and that is the difference. The other two are as quick, but he is smart. He doesn’t play up in the kennels. He travels brilliant. Cash Talks is the quickest dog I have ever had and he is getting close to her as far as a comparison goes. Nobody really got to see her, but she was a weapon.”

Qgold Summer Chase Listed Final (600m) $38,600:

Oh Oh Range (Ned Snow): (Snow quinellaed the race with Oh Oh Range and Come On Aussie) “Oh Oh Range has been underdone because he split his webbing and I couldn’t work him and that is why he was beaten last week. But I thought he was well drawn tonight out of the eight. So now he and Pocket Money (from the same kennel and who finished fifth in this race) are off to Sydney (Wentworth Park) for a race on the December 17. Oh Oh Range is a better stayer, but Pocket Money  holds the track record at Grafton over the 660m.”

Qgold Summer Sprint Listed Final (520m) $38,600:

Shipwreck (Ned Snow): “From the first time I trialled this bloke I knew we had something special. I knew I had something special even before he won the Vince Curry Maiden. He proved that he is a quality dog by running very good times when we went south recently to Sydney and Melbourne. As we were coming here tonight I got a phone call asking if I wanted to take him to Melbourne for either a $15,000 or $10,000 race on December 17. But I would rather give him a break. There are a lot of good races here in January. He’s not showing the signs now that he needs a break, but he just can’t keep going. I have been offered $200,000 for the dog and while that is tempting … I love the dog. He might still earn that. I believe the best is yet to come, especially over more distance.”

Qgold Bolt Final (395m) $19,300:

Cincinnati Hope (Handler Casey Dargusch for trainer Cyndie Elson): “The box draw did suggest that she was probably a very good chance tonight … and that is how it panned out. The race went how we were hoping it would. She is typical of the Elson dogs, very happy-go-lucky dogs. They are beautiful dogs, very relaxed and but also very good race dogs. They know when it is time to get out on the track and race.”

Qgold Blitz Final (331m) $19,300:

Times Three (Greg Deering): “He is going really well since dropping back in distance. I knew he could go well tonight, but I was just a little concerned after he had pulled up a little bit crook after his last couple of races (a lung infection). So, I had given him three and half weeks off. This was his second go over the 331m and I was pretty happy with that. This is a great concept and it’s good to pick up the money on a Thursday night at Albion Park. He will go back to the 520m. I believe he can break 30 here. As far as the summer carnival goes, if he is ready to go and there is a suitable big race during this carnival, then yes I will chuck him in.”