Caption: Hayley Wooler with Blazing Infrared after a recent victory. (Photo: Louise Partland)

By WAYNE HEMING

Aspiring young trainer Hayley Wooler believes her latest kennel addition, Hara’s Cookie, is racing more like a young dog than a veteran of four years and can test his younger rivals in his heat of the Reggies Podcast Anniversary Cup (510m) at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.

Owned by Tony Glover, Hara’s Cookie (box 5) can burst through the $100,000 prizemoney barrier with his 17th career victory at his 52nd start.

“I was just looking at that (prizemoney) actually, he is quite close to it,” she said.

Wooler said when the blue dog arrived from (trainer) Jemma Daley, he was in a ‘brilliant condition’.

“He’s lightly raced (for his age) and an all-round brilliant dog,” she said.

“He is perfect in the kennels, professional at the track, knows what he is doing and nothing seems to bother him.”

Hara’s Cookie’s biggest rival could be the squeeze box, but Wooler says he still has the speed to avoid any early trouble.

“As long as he gets around that first turn, he will push through the field. The 510m won’t be a problem for him.”

Hara’s Cookie has won seven races over 500m or longer, so he should be in the finish if he gets a clean start.

His win in the Golden Oldies Masters final at Albion Park in January was first-class and he has since recorded an easy win at Townsville for Wooler.

Hayley and her Dad, Andrew, will take eight dogs on the 10-hour trip south to Rockhampton –   three of them – Hara’s Cookie (heat 1), Blazing Infrared (heat 2) and Total Media Ban (heat 3) -contesting the heats of Anniversary Cup.

She said Blazing Infrared had surprised her by winning over 380m at Townsville last week and was not without a chance in his heat.

Hayley, who only recently turned 23, has stamped herself as a bright young, up-and-coming north Queensland trainer/conditioner, not a major surprise given her Dad, Andrew, and Mum, Joanne, and grandparents have been involved in the sport for almost five decades.

“She is a very keen learner and she loves the dogs,” said mum, Jo, who is still re-homing retired greyhounds.

“She prepares each dog individually and makes sure they are fit, healthy and well-adjusted when she puts them on the track.”

Wooler has some 35 dogs on her property at Stuart, a rural coastal suburb of Townsville.

She secured her handler’s licence when she was 15 and has only held a trainer’s licence for two years.

Last year she showed her potential to challenge the best trainers in Queensland by preparing over 100 winners.

Her season total stood at 116 in 2024, eventually finishing runner-up to another training newcomer, Bobbie-Jean Chaffey, who beat her in the trainer’s premiership.

“When Dad came back to training in 2017, we always thought 100 winners a season was a realistic goal,” said Hayley, who is like a sponge around other trainers.

“(100 winners) didn’t come along until last year, but hopefully we’ve set the bar and can equal or better that tally this year.”