By Jordan Gerrans
Champion dog man Tony Zammit openly admits he was brought to tears at the track last Thursday evening.
It was not even a greyhound the Hall of Famer prepares himself that brought on the water works.
Tony was overjoyed to see Jay Is Jay break the 520 metre track record around Albion Park, with the star dog trained in partnership by his younger brother Mick and his wife Selena.
Jay Is Jay lowered his father Sennachie’s fastest time around the circuit, posting a dashing 29.35 seconds in a mixed third and fourth grade event, bettering 29.38 seconds that was set back in 2019.
Just days on from smashing the track record, Jay Is Jay and the Zammit clan have Group 1 Golden Easter Egg ambitions with the eight-time career winner.
Legendary conditioner Tony is eager to see a Sunshine State dog compete against the best from around Australia in the prized series in NSW.
“This puts a Queensland dog right in the Easter Egg down there,” Tony said.
“Most of the time Victorian and New South Wales dogs dominate in this series but it now gives them something to be scared of from Queensland.”
While Tony was proud to see a dog cared for by his brother and sister-in-law run into the all-time record books, there was much more to it than that for the veteran trainer.
The sire of Jay Is Jay - Sennachie - has got all the headlines since the track record was broken.
But, his dam – Kealoah – is also a key part of the journey for the star on the rise.
Kealoah was the last dog the late Jeffery Jones trained before his death.
Jones is Selena’s father while Jay Is Jay is bred and owned by her mother Lillian Jones.
Tony was a close friend of Jeffrey’s before his passing.
“I was in tears after the race,” Tony said.
“The mother Kealoah was owned by Selena’s mother and father.
“Jeff and I were great mates, we played golf together and I got a real buzz seeing one of the sons of Kealoah coming out and being able to run not just a track record, but to beat his father’s track record.
“It was a great thrill for Michael and Selena, as well as Lillian Jones, who is Selena’s mum, who owns the dog.
“I was so pleased for them all.”
The exciting red fawn youngster sizzled the track in his return performance since the first week of February, coming back from a quick six week break.