Caption: John McCarthy with son Ben.

Weekly wrap of news from the Ipswich track with Pat McLeod

Veteran trainer John McCarthy admits right now is his best time in greyhound racing.

The Wivenhoe Pocket (about 35km north-west of Ipswich) owner/breeder/trainer has had some very good chasers from exceptional home-bred litters across decades, but says the current formula involving son Ben tops them all.

“We have had so many great times and success over the years, but having Ben involved just adds another very special dimension,” McCarthy says.

“We are on the phone quite often with lots of talk about greyhounds.

“And I will say now, I believe he will be a better trainer than me because he has a lot more patience. He is so laid back.

“And even when it comes to breeding, he’s already gone past me. He gathers so much information and it is a joy to just sit back and hear his ideas.

“Of course, he still asks me for advice and respects the hands-on experience that I have.”

McCarthy is happy that Ben didn’t take on board one piece of his advice recently.

“I had told him not to hold him (Satoshi) back for a start in the Vince Curry,” McCarthy says with a laugh.

“I said that if the dog is fit and going well then start racing him. Too many times in my training career I had held dogs back for a particular race and ended up regretting it through injury or whatever.

“But he certainly pulled the right rein.”

On February 1 at Ipswich Satoshi won the $75,000-to-the-winner Vince Curry Memorial Maiden Final (520m).

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John McCarthy wasn’t at that final, but on a week’s break in New Zealand with his wife Maggie and brother Terry and his wife.

They flew out the Saturday morning of the race, but made sure they did not miss watching the prestigious event.

“We were in the Pig & Whistle Pub in Queenstown and it was about 11 o’clock that night,” McCarthy recalls vividly.

“By the time the race came on the TV at the pub we had quite a crowd of people around us.

“We didn’t know them, but they knew that my son had a dog in the race that I said ‘should win’.

“Even the pub band stopped playing so we could all watch and hear the race.

“Well, when Satoshi won the place erupted.

“I told Ben when I got home that he owed me money … because I shouted the bar.”

Of course Ben’s training success is a major reason why John  McCarthy is having his ‘best-ever’ time in the sport, but another significant reason is the success of his Aston Rupee x  Pearl Za Diamond litter.

The six members of that litter to date have compiled $285,120 in prizemoney with 35 wins and 65 placings between them.

The most successful so far of the six is Affluent – $70,545 in prizemoney from 10 wins and 10 placings from 31 starts.

He is one of many strong contenders for the final of the Golden Chase Sprint (431m), which is the main event on Saturday night’s Ipswich program.

McCarthy said that although Affluent would be finishing the race strongly, ‘the story will most likely be told by the time the dogs exit the catching pen’.

“He (Affluent) is a strong 500m dog, but for this race it will be all to do with the beginning,” he said.

“If he is within two of three lengths down the back, then he is a chance. However, this is a very good field. Any of these dogs can win.

“If David Sloan’s dog (Miss Sara Jane, box 1), jumps well then it is probably all over. She is fast.”

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No matter the outcome on Saturday night the next logical step for Affluent will be his preferred  520m distance and the $60,000 Golden Chase over 520m, with heats March 15, followed by the semi-final (March 22) and the final (March 29).

Ipswich will also host the upcoming Past Members (431m) – March 7, 14; the Keith Sternberg Memorial (630m) – March 29; and the Past Members (520m) – March 29.

Caption: Kingsbrae Alice, one of three winners for Trevor Lindsay at Ipswich on Tuesday. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

There were certainly clusters of winners when Ipswich hosted a rare Sunday meeting last weekend.

Northern NSW’s Brad Northfield took the honours with a treble – Butcher, Tub Star and Cookey Charisma. But he also finished with two second placings from the six dogs entered.

On the same program, Paul Graham had two wins (It’s Time Lionel and It’s Time Madam), as did Brad Belford (Ashy Bear and Urana Rhino).

Trainer Trevor Lindsay continued his run of hot form recently with a treble at Ipswich on Tuesday.

Lindsay took out Race 6 with Kooringa Trish, Race 11 with Kingsbrae Nola and Race 12 with Kingsbrae Alice.

John Thompson also grabbed a double at the same meeting with Tarks Venom and Barefoot Zulu.

And also grabbing a treble was Pat Lavis on Ipswich’s Thursday program with – Hi Jessie (Race 1), Lamia Lucca (Race 6) and Bye Bye Robyn (Race 10).

Other multiple winners over the past week:

Friday: Sergio Livotto 2 – Cool Hand Don, Cool Hand Rio.

Saturday: Col Graham 2 – Sweetest Of All, Sweetest Smile; Daniel Lee 2 – Crimson Warrior, New Beginning.