Caption: Rusa Range (John McCarthy) will have the one box in Saturday night’s $100,000-to-the-winner Golden Chase Final (520m) at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

By Pat McLeod

Veteran trainer John McCarthy knows he hasn’t the fastest dog in Saturday night’s lucrative Golden Chase Final (520m) at Ipswich, but he also knows Rusa Range will not leave a penny unspent in his bid to hit the $100,000 jackpot.

“His biggest asset is that he gives 100 per cent every time,” McCarthy says.

“He doesn’t do too much wrong.

“Just a very good, honest dog.

“But when you have a look across there is so much quality in this field.”

Rusa Range, bred, owned and trained by McCarthy at his Wivenhoe Pocket kennels, west of Brisbane, may not have the impressive statistics and credentials of some of Saturday night’s field, but he is the model of consistency.

He has made the final of both Golden Chase events at Ipswich, finishing sixth in the 431m sprint and also won the QGOLD final (520m) at Ipswich in January.

From 42 starts he has nine wins and 18 placings for $43,320 in prizemoney.

Not the most outstanding stats in a field oozing talent and chasing the $100,000 first prize booty.

“Rusa Range is a good handy dog, but not really at Group level, but this series has given him the opportunity to be in the final with dogs that are at that higher level,” McCarthy explains.

“Obviously it would be good to be one of the top chances, but when you are in any of these group or big-money races, and I have been lucky enough to have been there a few times, it is just a buzz and very exciting.

“Making the final, well you take that as being your win and then you just cross your fingers.

“For me, to be racing against the best dogs, well that’s what we all aim for and it is just a great feeling.

“I have been in this game for a long time and still get a buzz when competing at this level.”

Despite being surrounded by high-end quality on Saturday night, McCarthy is also aware of the vagaries of greyhound racing, which doesn’t always reward the fastest dog.

“So, my dog has got the one box, and if he can get to the front early and get around that first corner in front, then you cross your fingers and just hope that he can stay there,” he says.

“Every now and again he does surprise me and does ping out, and the one box can certainly get a dog out quickly.

“The big hope is that the one will pull him out just that little bit quicker.

“There is a lot of speed across this field and all coming together at that first corner, if you are on the rail and if you can just keep away from any trouble, well who knows.”

McCarthy believes there is still improvement in his chaser.

“After 42 starts I believe he can still get stronger as a race dog,” he said.

“There are a couple of dogs in this race that can run a lot faster times, but if you are up front, and if he can bring his time down into the 30.50s and he’s up front, all you need is a little check behind and he’s the sort of dog that will make the most of an opportunity.

“I believe 30.50 could win a race like this if you’re up in front.”

McCarthy says he is enjoying ‘the best time to be in greyhound racing’.

He cut his teeth in the sport growing up in London.

He moved to Australia in the late 1970s, but took a while to take up the collar and lead here.

“I didn’t get into greyhounds in Australia until the early 1990s, when I was living at Redcliffe,” he recalls.

“The first dog I had here was a pup that I owned and trained, called Dagenham, which was named after the place in London where I came from.

“It was at the time when greyhound racing moved from the Gabba to Albion Park and Dagenham won the first (Qld) Derby to be held at the new track (1993).”

For the past 30 years McCarthy has been based at a 10-acre property at Wivenhoe Pocket.

He currently has ‘up to nine’ dogs in work.

“We have always been lucky enough to have, if not an out and out champion, some good handy dogs in the kennels,” he says.

He certainly has had champions, including multiple group campaigner Slick, who came second in the 2017 Ipswich Auction Series 520m Final. This year the Ipswich Auction Series has been rebranded as the Golden Chase.

McCarthy says there are a number of genuine chances in Saturday night’s final.

“If Hush Hush (Sam Sultana) begins, it will be very hard to beat, but I might be leaning towards Tommy Tzouvelis’ Saanvi,” he said.