Days Of Thunder all the rage at a Moranbah mine site

By Jordan Gerrans

The fast-finishing Days Of Thunder has been the talk of a Moranbah mine this week.

And, it has been that way for much of the year for the popular Queensland stayer.

The chat around the star bitch was only heightened this week ahead of her tilt at the Group 1 Topgun Stayers Final in Melbourne this coming Saturday evening.

The white bitch is owned by Clinton Gill, who works as a supervisor in the coal mining town of Moranbah, which is based inland from Mackay.

The excited Gill was just coming off night shift on Thursday morning as he prepares to head to Melbourne to watch his dashing bitch in action over 730 metres on Saturday.

Days Of Thunder has risen in prominence through her racing pattern, getting well back in the field before firing home late.

The winner of $179,395 in career prize money is a regular topic of conversation for Gill and his workmates at smoko.

“There is people at work that bet on her and I will often get asked when she is racing next,” Gill said.

“They say stuff like she is a little freak.

“When she hits top gear in that last section, that is what has got her a fan base here where I work.”

The proud owner says he is lucky to have an understanding boss at his work who allows him to book holidays and chase his bitch around the country trying to win feature races.

He missed Days Of Thunder’s stunning State of Origin victory for Queensland earlier this year at Albion Park but was able to head to Sydney for the National Distance Championship Final in late August.

He is set to knock off work in Central Queensland on Friday and head to Melbourne the following day.

Days Of Thunder is the best dog the Gold Coast-based Gill has ever raced, he says.

The now retired Copy Workshop won almost 20 races and made the Final of the Queensland Derby in 2019 but his current bitch has exceeded those feats.

Warren Nicholls trained Copy Workshop – and has Days Of Thunder in his kennel – and Gill is glad he stuck with the Churchable-based dog man.

The owner previously had dogs with Kerry Hogan before linking up with Nicholls.

“We have had a few other dogs that did not work out well but I stuck with Warren,” Gill said.

“I am very happy with how Warren trains her and prepares her.

“Especially with her unique running style, leaving her best till last.

“She is a punters nightmare but as an owner, I could not be happier with the last sectionals that she does, she just makes her own luck.”

Gill has been a greyhound lover for much of his life.

He remembers his Mums uncle having dogs as well as being involved in harness racing when he was around 10 years of age.

“I will never forget it and I always from there thought they were a nice, lovely animal,” Gill said.

“It has stuck with me since then.”

While the bitch still has plenty of racing ahead of her, the team are already planning for her retirement.

“We will keep her going until the middle of next year and Clint and I are really looking forward to getting some pups out of her then,” trainer Nicholls said.

The Queensland Cup place getter has drawn the outside box in the Group 1.

“She is one of those bitches who does not like to get tightened up and the eight will allow her to feel her way around The Meadows,” Nicholls said.

As of Thursday afternoon, Days Of Thunder is a $21 chance to cause an upset with the TAB.

Fellow Queenslander Oh Oh Range is rated a $10 chance in the race.

While Gill’s bitch is judged as an outsider by the bookmakers, he knows she will be eating up ground late.

“She has provided me with the thrills, with this being the highest peak I have been to as an owner,” he said.

“It has all been with her.

“She has made the biggest races I have ever been in.

“She has the talent, stamina and endurance to mix it with the best.”

Days Of Thunder will be joined by a trio of Ned Snow-trained dogs on the big stage on Saturday evening.

Snow’s Pocket Money is in the Group 1 Hume Cup Final, Oh Oh Range in the Group 1 Topgun Stayers while Queensland State of Origin hero Shipwreck will also be on show in a free for all event.

Another Queenslander – Orchestrate – was set to contest the 525 metre Topgun event but was scratched earlier this week.

The Tony Brett-trained Orchestrate had drawn the seven alley before he was scratched.