By MIKE HILL

ROCKHAMPTON president Nev Jackson may have missed his club\’s big Cup Carnival in late April because of health reasons, but he was able to claim \’a Cup connection\’.

Jackson, who has been training for almost 50 years, has had a strong association with Cup winning owner Tom Kinnear over the years.

\”I\’ve trained about six or eight dogs for him and we still have one – My Kids Tuition – as a pet,\” he said.

\”Although I have never met Tom in person, he\’s been my main owner over the years. We\’ve done everything over the phone or by email.

\”I\’ve trained for a lot of owners and I must say he is one of the best. He\’s been a fantastic owner to train for.

\”It was great to see Orchestrate win the Cup and although he\’s a very talented sprinter I don\’t think he\’s the best in the litter.

\”I think there may be a better one down in Victoria.\”

Jackson said My Kids Tuition was one of the first sprinters he trained for Kinnear.

\”I also trained two other littermates All Red and Tax Loophole,\” he said.

\”I consider Tax Loophole the fastest greyhound I have put a lead on but unfortunately she was a bit of a non-chaser. She could be 10 lengths in front and just stop and wait for the others.\”

Jackson has been recovering from a second hip replacement operation earlier in the year.

Complications including three dislocations following the operation and the discovery of blood clots on his lungs have seen him readmitted to hospital several times in recent months.

\”I was back in hospital at Cup time and unfortunately I couldn\’t make it,\” he said.

\”I\’m on the mend and should be back in action when the club starts up again this month after the track renovations.”