By PAT McLEOD
HELEN Sant refuses to let her mind linger too long on Sunday’s $60,000 Con Sciacca TAB Capalaba Cup (Group 3) final.
“When I do, my mind just races with what might happen,” she says, partly with fear, but also with delight.
“I will just wait and see what happens … because that is really all you can do. But we (her and partner Cliff Houston) are so excited, really excited. We are in a Group 3 final. Wow!”
Sant and Houston, based at Burpengary, just north of Brisbane, have $41 chance Tira Mira, in the straight track Cup final. But the odds don’t matter to them. Their unbridled excitement at just being a part of ‘the big dance’ is refreshing.
“She is not really a valid chance,” Sant says, without total conviction. “One, she is a bitch, and bitches don’t win those big races as a rule, and there are others in the race who can run quicker times.
“But, she’s in a Group Three final and that’s just fantastic.”
Sant and Houston have been involved in greyhound racing since 2006. They are part of the bedrock of the industry. They are seldom in the limelight, but often in the front line when it comes to the mountain of volunteer work that is required at clubs like Capalaba.
They have only ever featured in one group race before, running fifth in the Vince Curry Maiden at Ipswich in 2016 with Jack’s Black.
However, on Sunday they have two chances of hugging the spotlight – in the Cup with Tira Mira, and also in the Cup Consolation with Burnt Briar. Both are from the February 2020, Zinzan Brooke – Kyella litter.
In fact Burnt Briar has already put them in the headlines. He won last year’s Bob Vernon Memorial, which is run on Cup day. But in a later race sustained a serious injury. The black dog has since made a miraculous recovery to be back in the winners’ circle at Capalaba after being sidelined for nine months.
Although much of the Capalaba Cup talk has been around the early trajectory of Tony Brett flyer, Milligan, Sant says, ‘what will be, will be’ as long as all dogs finish safely.
Milligan, who will start from the three box, has a record of racing straight to the outside of the track, possibly causing interference to those on his outside.
As Sant says: “That is racing. Burnt Briar had his legs taken from under him in his Cup heat. You take the good with the bad.
“We will just wait and see what happens.
“We just want Tira Mira (Box 6) to have a clear run and to do her best. She has only had 10 starts, so I am confident her best racing is in front of her.
“No matter what happens we are there to enjoy the racing and enjoy Capalaba. It’s just a thrill to be in a group race.”
Hot favourite is the NSW Central Coast-based, Michelle Sultana-trained Sacred Stance ($1.85), who won the recent Healesville Cup. Unleash Collinda (Jason Thompson) is $3.70 with Milligan at $4.80.
Capalaba Cup (in box draw): 1 Sacred Stance, 2 Horchata, 3 Milligan, 4 Beck And Call, 5 Unleash Collinda, 6 Tira Mira, 7 Rothwell Chunk, 8 Ferocity. Res: 9 Black Comanche, 10 Another Chance.
Bob Vernon Mem Mdn (in box draw): 1 Special Thunder, 2 Georgia Choo, 3 Caramel Queen, 4 Potato Peeler, 5 Red Cloud, 6 Nintymilke Queen, 7 Imposing Blade, 8 Dashing Dipper. Res: 9 Perfect Tyrant, 10 Liberty Valance.
