Caption: Selena and Mick Zammit’s Icy Eyes is back on the scene and poses a threat to Valpolicella’s Queensland distance crown. (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
By Pat McLeod
A mouth-watering family duel was evolving on the eve of The Nationals state series in Queensland.
As Chase was about to go to print in late July, brothers Tony and Mick Zammit were about to renew their claims on the Queensland distance title.
The Queensland sprint and distance championships are scheduled to be contested on August 1 (heats) and August 8 (finals) at Albion Park. The winners of each final go through to The Nationals, to be contested at Adelaide’s Angle Park on August 24.
Tony Zammit reports that his Group 1 distance queen Valpolicella is primed for a Nationals assault.
However, emerging from a lengthy injury battle late in July was Mick and Selena Zammit’s exciting long range speedster Icy Eyes.
The Peter McBlane-bred Flying Fired Up x Agame chaser showed her brilliant early speed to win a 600m event at Albion Park on July 25.
“I think she’s going almost as well as ever,” Mick Zammit said after the win.
“She is a top-class bitch and we want to have her in (the Nationals distance heats) next week.
“I believe that run tonight will bring her on.
“I would have preferred to see her go a fraction better, but having said that the dog that she beat (Nangar Rocket) is pretty good.”
Icy Eyes made a major impression as a young distance star last year before a serious back muscle injury put her off the track in late December.
She returned to racing in late June.
“As long as she pulls up alright then we are through to The Nationals heats next week,” Zammit said.
Before her injury Icy Eyes contested six 710m races at Albion Park, winning five. She also won two of the three distance races she contested at Sandown Park and The Meadows.
On the night of Icy Eyes’ 600m win at Albion Park Tony Zammit confirmed it was all systems go after Valpolicella’s post-Winter Carnival spell.
“She will definitely be going around in The Nationals heats,” he said.
“I have given her a little spell since the Winter Carnival. I just wanted to freshen her up and she is very keen to race again.
“She trialed this week here at Albion Park over 600 metres and she went very well.
“Overall, I’m very happy with the dog at the moment.
“She has been a very sound dog her entire racing career and we would be hoping to race her through until the end of the year before there is talk about retirement.”
Both Tony and Mick Zammit have contested Nationals finals, but neither of the highly successful trainers have won a Nationals championship to date.
“It is a great honour to be in the nationals, to represent your state,” Tony said.
“Win, lose or draw it is a great feature to be a part of it.”
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Impressive youngster Duffman could ‘re-launch’ his already stellar career by flying Queensland’s colours in 2024 Nationals.
Duffman’s trainer, and part-owner, Jedda Cutlack, confirmed that the Vince Curry Memorial Maiden winner would be a starter in the Nationals sprint heats at Albion Park on August 1 ‘as long as he is sound’.
“Yes, as long as he is fine, he will be there,” she said.
“The Nationals is a concept that I respect and would love to do well in.
“Duffman started his career on a high (with the $75,000-to-the-winner Vince Curry win at Ipswich in early February).
“Since then, he has been in some really hard races and has not always been at his best.
“However, he is nearing his best now.”
The news of Duffman’s availability for The Nationals came as a line was drawn through a number of other prominent sprint contenders.
Mick Zammit confirmed that All Natural (injured) would not be in the running for the prestigious event, while kennel rising star Hoshino would be steered towards the age-restricted Molly Campbell Silver Dollars at Albion Park (final August 22).
Another youngster in very hot form, Adam McIntosh’s Golden Bear is also being steered away from The Nationals and towards the Molly Campbell.
“While I would love to win through and go to Adelaide the timing just isn’t right,” McIntosh said.
However, the biggest shock omission from The Nationals state heats is the unlikely no-show of class Winter Carnival performer, Kahlo Hayze (Sandra Hunt).
That dog’s owner, Nathan Trigg, said although there was always the possibility of a late change of heart, the early decision was to bypass The Nationals.
“The Nationals at the moment are not in the frame for Kahlo Hayze,” he said.
“The rationale is difficult to explain, but she is not the type of bitch that we want to send away to travel at the moment.
“She has a few of her own little idiosyncrasies, and we would hate to upset her current form and confidence.
“Yes, it would be great if she was able to win (the state crown) and then go away for The Nationals, but it is a catch-22 scenario.
“I’m just concerned that the trip away will affect her. The whole litter has some little, quirky traits.
“It is a hard decision and there were discussions this week around this.
“We might change our mind, but at the moment The Nationals for Kahlo Hayze is unlikely.”
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While The Nationals Queensland heats and final dominate racing early in August at Albion Park, this month also heralds the running of the Molly Campbell Silver Dollars – heats August 15, final August 22 – for greyhounds under 27 months of age.
The race honours industry figure Molly Campbell. She and her family produced the greyhound form guide for Queensland and northern NSW tracks for more than 30 years.
