Caption: Garry Gilbert’s It Wasn’t Me is back at Capalaba for Sunday’s Futurity Final. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)  

By Pat McLeod

Ipswich conditioner Garry Gilbert is hopeful a return to Capalaba for Sunday’s Futurity Final (366m) will also result in a return to the top of the podium for his speedster It Wasn’t Me.

The Fernando Bale x She’s Whistling bitch last raced at the straight track six starts ago when unplaced in the Capalaba Cup.

In her five outings since over 520m at Albion Park and Ipswich, her best has been a second and a third.

However, Gilbert believes It Wasn’t Me is better than that.

“She is actually going as good as ever at the moment, but she just hasn’t had any luck on the circle recently,” he said.

“She has been checked out of her recent races there.

“Her results recently aren’t a fair indication of how she is going.

“But I have no doubt that will change when she returns to the circle after Capalaba on Sunday.

“She runs a straight line from the boxes and so on the circle is better placed if she is on the outside.

“For now, we are back to Capalaba and I’m confident that she will go well.”

The Capalaba Futurity will progress straight through to a final, with box 5 vacant.

There will also be two Derby heats on Sunday.

It Wasn’t Me has certainly proven her ability at Capalaba, with seven wins and four placings from 18 starts there.

She boasts the quickest time of Sunday’s finalists with a 19.52.

Gilbert says both he and his dog are happy to be back at the straight track.

“She loves the track and goes well there,” he said.

“Because she goes straight from the boxes, the four will really suit her on Sunday.

“She will want to be right behind the bunny.

“I think she will go well. I am always a little bit confident with her because I believe she is pretty good.”

Gilbert has had some success in the Capalaba Futurity before, running third to Ironbar Jill (Allan Svensen) with Treblig Lucia in 2016.

He says a long history as a sports therapist has certainly helped in his greyhound endeavours.

“A lot of what I do is transferable to greyhounds,” he said.

“It isn’t so different.

“It is all about keeping the dogs sound and a lot of that is done with stretching.

“My dogs certainly get their stretches every day and much of that can be achieved through free galloping.

“You have to make sure that all the joints have their full range of motion.

“So, when a joint loses its range of motion the number one cause is usually a muscle spasm.

“If you can get the muscle to let go then the joint will let go and return to its full range of motion.”