Caption: Fearless Freak is one of two runners Tom Tzouvelis will rug up in Saturday night’s $45,000 Listed Young Guns Final (520m) at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos)
Weekly wrap of racing at Ipswich with MIKE HILL
THE powerful Tom Tzouvelis kennel is hoping its highly successful winning run in feature races at Ipswich this year continues in Saturday night’s $45,000 Listed Young Guns Final (520m).
Tzouvelis has qualified both Fearless Freak (box 1) and Autumn Storm (box 6) for the $30,000-to-the winner event, while his deputy, Jedda Cutlack, has track specialist Duffman jumping from box four.
The kennel has already picked up three major victories at the track in 2024 – Duffman (Cutlack) in the $112,500 Vince Curry Memorial Maiden in early February, Saanvi (Tzouvelis) in the $145,750 Golden Chase in April and Scintillate (Tzouvelis) in last week’s $18,500 Grand Prix.
“It’s a very even final,” said Tzouvelis, who’s having an outstanding year, currently sitting in 10th spot on the national trainers points table with 117 winners.
“We’re going into the race hopeful but not confident. I’m very happy with Fearless Freak in the rails box.”
He said the light brindle sprinter (Feral Franky-Speedy Bella) had the right draw and was capable of running 30.40s, which would put her right in the mix.
She won her heat last week in 30.67s after narrowly missing a first-corner mix-up before finishing hard down the outside.
“However, she doesn’t have the early speed of some of the others,” Tzouvelis said.
“They will probably cross her, but if she can stay in touch with the leaders she’ll be strong at the finish.”
He said Autumn Storm would find it hard from box six, adding that the consistent black daughter of Aston Rupee and Look Fancy Nancy (12: 2-5-3) has had no luck with box draws so far in her short career.
Autumn Storm has drawn one of the three inside boxes just three times in her first 13 starts.
“She’s a dog that will get better over more ground but she’s quite capable of a 30.30/30.40 run,” the trainer said.
He also highlighted the fact that Duffman liked the Ipswich track and had winning form from the middle boxes.
The brindle sprinter (Sh Avatar-She’s Some Gal), with an overall career record of seven wins and 10 placings from just 20 starts and $134,350 in prizemoney, has never missed a place at Ipswich (five wins, three placings from eight starts).
The Cutlack sprinter won the Vince Curry from box five and was highly impressive in his all-the-way heat win last week wearing the blue rug.
The youngster clocked a slick 30.37s, marginally slower than fastest heat winner Golden Bear (30.32s BON).
Tzouvelis admitted he was very lucky to have Cutlack as his deputy.
“We work well together and Jedda is a very capable trainer in her own right,” he said.
“She’s been an integral part of the kennels’ success in recent seasons and I’m thankful she chooses to work with me.”
Tzouvelis said the main dangers to the kennel trio were the Greg Stella-trained Traditional (box 2) and Adam McIntosh’s Golden Bear (box 7).
“They are the class runners in the field,” he said.
Golden Bear won the Listed Eric Thomson Memorial (520m) at Albion Park in April and was runner-up to Super Scrub in the G3 Brisbane Young Guns at the same track a few weeks later.
He beat Autumn Storm last week by just under two lengths.
Tzouvelis said Traditional, with 9: 6-2-0 stats, had the motor to lead the field down the back straight.
“He beat Fearless Freak two weeks ago running a very smart sub-13s second sectional,” he said.
“And knowing his trainer, the dog will be at its very best on the night.”
TRAINER John Bradley will be hoping for another super scamper from former WA sprinter Taco Time in the $7700 Past Members Final (288m) at Ipswich on Saturday night.
The fawn sprinter (Barcia Bale-It’s A Maybe) made an impressive debut at the track last week, reeling off a best-of-meeting 16.87s in her heat.
Taco Time will jump from box three in the $5005-to-the-winner final, after exploding from box four last week and her slick 5.87s first split was the fastest of the heat winners.
Other leading chances in the dash for cash include the Rusty Dillon-trained Unique (box 1), the Mal Cuneo pair of Shine And Fire (box 2) and Bemboka Blue (box 4) and the Shane Staples-prepared Cedar (box 8).
GEORGE Kadniak was the standout trainer at Ipswich on Thursday.
The Park Ridge South-based conditioner produced a winning treble with members of the same Mepunga Blaze-Sheza Keen Size litter.
Kadniak was successful with sisters Force ($3.90) and Black Eye ($5.50) in 288m maidens, while male sprinter Too Hot ($1.90 fav) won a novice (288m) later in the program.
Too Hot has been a model of consistency, picking up money in all of his eight starts to date (three wins and five placings).
The youngsters’ mother Sheza Keen Size qualified for three Group finals in an impressive career (49: 20-5-7; $90,749).
She finished third behind Fabregal in the 2016 G2 Bogie Leigh Futurity (520m) at Albion Park.
