Caption: Trainer Ben McCarthy is hoping his smart sprinter Fast Eddie can repeat his heat win in the $6200 5th Grade Final (520m) at Ipswich on Saturday night. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).

Weekly wrap of racing at Ipswich with MIKE HILL

A TRIP to Grafton and some extra box work have done wonders for young sprinter Fast Eddie, says ‘rookie’ trainer Ben McCarthy.

Fast Eddie was an impressive heat winner at Ipswich last weekend and on Saturday night will jump from box three in a $6200 5th Grade Final (520m).

“I was surprised by what he did last Saturday,” said McCarthy, who’s only been training on his own since January, although he’s been around greyhounds most of his life.

His Dad John is a well-respected owner-breeder-trainer, best known for track stars such as Dagenham, Rather Dapper and Slick – all Group performers – as well as prolific winners Proper Gent, Just Spiffing, Aza Zeus, Balmy Nights and Pearl Za Zinger, mother of Fast Eddie.

Ben, based at Vernor, west of Brisbane, said: “I wasn’t quite expecting Fast Eddie to go so well last week.

“I tried him over 520m a month or so back, but I wasn’t happy with the way he went.

“He wasn’t quite up to it and I dropped him back to 431m.

“I then took him to Grafton for a trial and a run over 450m.

“It seemed to strengthen him.

“At the same time we changed his routine a bit and did some extra box work which helped him a lot.

“He started to get out a bit better.

“He has good mid-race pace, but his starts were letting him down.”

Fast Eddie, a son of Aston Rupee, jumped well last weekend, taking the lead down the back straight and racing to a five-and-a-half length victory.

His time of 30.45s was only 0.03s off Extreme Tension’s 30.42s (BON) run – the fastest of the three heats.

“He’s only a young dog and I think he has more improvement in him,” said Ben.

“I think he can better last week’s time.

“It might not be this week, but I think there is improvement in him in coming months.

“If he can get out again as well as he did in his heat and he gets a bit of room, I think he can go well in the final.”

Fast Eddie, a very consistent sprinter, has a 4-2-3 record from just 14 starts.

The black chaser’s biggest danger looks to be early favourite Extreme Tension from box seven.

The Ned Snow-prepared sprinter has a fast 30.24s to his credit and is a three-time winner over the trip from six outings.

Other leading chances include the Chris Brydon-trained Garrison (box 1), in-form sprinter Apollo’s Sun (Martina Kirillidis), jumping from box six and Renald Attard’s Shimmering Light (box 5).

McCarthy, who has three dogs in work, said he was happy with the way things were going.

“I’ve got all my dogs through Dad and I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

It could be an interesting night for the McCarthy boys.

John has Sister Riley, a littermate to Fast Eddie, in heat one of the $11,600 Col Harris Gold Sovereign series over 630m.

The three-heat series is open to chasers with four wins or less.

Ben said Sister Riley, a recent 520m winner at Albion Park, was having her first start over the longer trip.

“She’s showing a lot of strength and is the strongest of the bunch,” he said.

The Chris Brydon-trained Billie Cash Kid (box 2) is the only winner over the journey in the opening heat with a 37.73sPB, while the Casey Dargusch-prepared Power Of Whiskey and Matt Heilbronn’s New Design could be the best of the ‘first starters’.

The John Bradley-prepared Regards To Tony (box 2) has the best credentials in heat two with a win and five seconds from eight starts at the trip.

The black chaser has a 37.53sPB and was strong in his two most recent 630m runs, finishing second to Lippy Kid, beaten a bit over a length,  and Sirius Zoe (length).

Others with a chance include Akela Iaido (box 7), one of Martina Kirillidis’s four runners in the series, the George Clegg-trained Ebony Bar Cool (box 1) and Phil Shaxson’s Minter Deluxe (box 6).

Trevor Lindsay’s consistent placegetter Gattlin Glass gets his chance to bring up his third career victory in heat three.

Gattlin Glass (box 4) has been placed in his past five outings – four over 600m at Albion Park – and a last-start third behind Billie Cash Kid over this trip.

Other likely challengers include Darren Johnstone’s Sirius Zoe (box 2), the Josh Priest-prepared Fawn Outlaw (box 3) and Akela Ninjutsu (Martina Kirillidis) in box six.