Caption: Ned Snow (right) and assistant Dave Eisel after Shipwreck’s  victory in the 2022 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden (520m) at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)

Weekly wrap of racing at Ipswich with MIKE HILL

NED Snow is in relatively unchartered waters.

He’s sitting atop the Ipswich male trainers’ premiership, something he hasn’t experienced in recent times, although he did finish third in 2023.

“I think it’s the first time I ever led a competition,” Snow said.

And he agreed it would have to be his best season so far winner-wise.

“But I’ve got a lot of dogs in work, more than 20,” he said.

As the club takes a compulsory two-week break for the annual Ipswich Show, Snow finds himself with a handy advantage on the trainers’ points table.

He has amassed 336 points, well clear of Jeff Crawford (193) and Cecil Druery (163) in the male compteition, while Pauline Byers (282) leads Jemma Daley (190) in the female division.

In the first five months of 2024, Snow, based at Purga, has rugged up 41 winners, 10 more than Byers (31). Other leading rivals include Jemma Daley (26 wins), Jeff Crawford (25) and Tom Tzouvelis (23).

In fact, Snow, who’s had some talented sprinters over the years headed by dual Group winner Shipwreck, is currently only four wins adrift of his entire 2023 season tally of 45.

The wins have been coming thick and fast for him, particularly in recent months – thanks to a smart Out Of Range-Go Lou Go litter owned by the Munro family.

The litter, headed by Mischievous Lou, Glastonbury Man, Open Jewel and Electric Man, has added 17 wins to Snow’s Ipswich tally – all since mid-March – and another three at Albion Park in the past eight days.

“They haven’t been racing that long,” said Snow, who had previously trained the well-bred mother Go Lou Go (Barcia Bale – Ironbar Jill) for the Munro syndicate. 

He says the litter has ‘above average’ ability.

Three of the siblings – Extreme Tension, Electric Man and Open Jewel – contributed to Snow landing his first-ever winning foursome at Ipswich earlier this month.

Then, with the Ipswich closure, another two members of the litter broke through for their first success at Albion Park – Mischievous Lou over 520m last week and Glastonbury Man over 395m on Tuesday.

Only days before Snow had mentioned Glastonbury Man as one to watch.

“He’s all muscle and he’s going to be a good dog,” he predicted.

Then on Thursday night Extreme Tension added a 520m Albion Park novice victory to his recent Ipswich maiden success.

Snow was extremely upbeat over Extreme Tension’s victory.

“He’d only had one post-to-post look at Albion Park before last night’s run and it was his first time out of the boxes,” the trainer said.

He said Extreme Tension had produced a best-of-day 24.98s in winning his Ipswich Maiden (431m) at his previous start.

The litter is also giving the Munro family, who reside in the Glastonbury district, west of the Sunshine Coast, plenty to cheer about.

Kirsty Munro said there were four family members in the syndicate ownership – her dad Glen (manager), mum Maryanne, herself and an uncle.

She said her grandfather John Munro had owned and trained greyhounds in the early days of the Gabba, while her dad had also trained, although now he concentrates on breeding and rearing pups.

“He loves it,” she said.

“He loves the dogs, it’s much more than a hobby for him.”

Current standings in the Ipswich trainers’ premierships are:

Leading male: Ned Snow 336 points, Jeff Crawford 193, Cecil Druery 163, Tom Tzouvelis 159, Daniel Lee 155, Shane Topping 144, Peter O’Reilly 126, Darren Johnstone 116, Merv Page 112, Patrick Lavis 110.

Leading female: Pauline Byers 282, Jemma Daley 190, Kerry Hoggan 71, Cynthia Suttle 58, Marion Goodwin 56.

MEANWHILE, Snow’s winning streak looks like continuing for some time yet.

“I’ve got a lot of pups coming through, including the next litter to Shipwreck …  a repeat mating,” he said.

Ned’s talking about Aussie Diamond’s second litter to Out Of Range.

The first litter produced the likes of Shipwreck, Oh Oh Range, Pocket Money, Come On Aussie etc and in total amassed $806,035 in prizemoney from 77 victories.

“I have nine pups from the second litter and they’re 15 months old,” Snow said.

“There are some nice pups among them; I don’t think they are going to let me down.”

He also has another litter of nine by Superior Panama from Blue Carat, a member of Aussie Diamond’s mating with Worm Burner.

“Dave Irwin had her,” he said.

Blue Carat retired from the track in early ’22 with a 16: 7-2-2 record, including a last-start victory over 520m at Wentworth Park.

*****

ALL eyes may be on Albion Park in coming weeks with its huge Winter Racing Carnival, but Ipswich has a triple treat of features programmed for July.

The $18,500 Ipswich Grand Prix (732m) – an open event  for the best eight stayers – will be run on July 13,eight days after the final of the $262,505 Group 1 Queensland Cup (710m) at Albion Park.

In the past, it’s been a handy consolation for some of the beaten brigade from Brisbane.

Previous winners include Mullaway for Joanne Price in 2016, Jalapeno (Tony Apap 2018), Velocity Bettina (Kevin Ellis 2020), Sir Truculent (Wally Harkins 2021), Days Of Thunder (Warren Nicholls 2022) and Select Moment for Gary Mackay last year, while 2014 winner Wag Tail (Christina Harman) holds the race and track record of 43.56s.

Meanwhile, the finals of both the $45,000 Young Guns (520m) and the $7700 Past Members (288m) will be staged on Saturday, July 20. Heats for the Past Members are scheduled for July 11, while the Young Guns heats will be run on July 13.

IPSWICH members are reminded that the QGRC will host a Steve Woods Memorial race event on Monday night, May 20, at the Albion Park complex.

Steve, who passed away recently, was a long-time member of both the Albion Park and Ipswich greyhound racing clubs and was the immediate past president at Ipswich prior to the formation of the Queensland Greyhound Racing Club.

Industry participants and friends are expected to attend the evening.

*****

REMINDER to owners and trainers, Ipswich resumes racing on Friday, May 24, and trials will be held as usual on Monday, May 27.