Kline planning another tactical triumph in Young Guns heats

By Pat McLeod

Brent Kline’s proven record as a greyhound tactician goes on the line with two key plays in the Brisbane Young Guns heats on Thursday night at Albion Park.

The Ipswich-based trainer has Isurava and Carton Of Bear in two of the four heats of the $45,000 Group 3 series.

Isurava is a proven talent, who just scrapes into the 30-month age limit, while Kline believes youngster Carton Of Bear has the potential to make a name for himself in this feature.

The Brisbane Young Guns is dripping with talent, and while Kline emphasises he will never put the weight of expectation on his chasers, he believes both his dogs are capable of victory.

And, there is a strong case to at least acknowledge that he can place a dog for a race.

Case in point: Isurava’s win in the recent Rockhampton Cup Consolation Final.

Kline took Isurava and kennel king, Keen, up for the Rockhampton Cup. The Final was run last Friday with both his dogs running in the Consolation Final. Isurava took the chocolates while Keen finished back in seventh.

However, Kline says the $75,000-to-the-winner Cup was never his target. The Consolation event, worth $12,025 to the winner, was the real bullseye.

“The Consolation was the aim, absolutely,” he said. “The quality of dogs drops off in that Final, compared to the Cup.

“So that was my goal, to target the Consolation. I know that sounds a bit weird because most people would see the Consolation as just that, that you have missed the Final.

“The Consolation was worth $12,000 to the winner and the reality is in that race you are running against the dogs that ran second and third and fourth.

“Of course in the Final it was $75,000 to the winner and, don't get me wrong, if we had made that it would have been nice. But, the reality is, little pieces of pie are often better than the whole pie itself.

“You have got to look outside the square. A lot of people see the big dollars, but there is more to it than that.

“I just planned for that (Consolation) race and that is how it worked out.

“Isurava’s first look at the Rockhampton track was in the heat (where he ran third behind Shipwreck and Adulate). The fact that he hadn’t seen the track didn’t bother me because he is very fast early, so being a short run to the first corner, that suited him.

“I knew that he would be out in front and gone anyway. And, that is the way it panned out (in the Final).”

That winning form made the decision very easy to then send Isurava towards the Young Guns.

“The sky is the limit with this dog,” Kline said. “His early speed gets him into most races. He is very reliable early. He is a perfect race dog. He loves to be there and he loves to chase and he pulls up fantastically after runs.

“He is probably one of the oldest in the Young Guns. He just scrapes in. With the form that he has at the moment this race was definitely on the calendar for him.

“Looking ahead, I think he is capable of figuring in the winter carnival races. Last year I was lucky enough to win the Carnival Chase over 600 metres with Keen.

“I dipped my toe in the water with Isurava recently when he won his first start over 600 metres, at Albion Park.

“I think he has a lot of improvement in him coming up to the winter carnival and so that is one race I do have pencilled in for him - the Carnival Chase.

“I think he is a dog that can run really well in that race if he draws well.”

Kline is even more excited about the prospects ahead for Carton Of Bear, who shares the same mother as Isurava, Shilo, who was raced by Kline.

“Already he (Carton Of Bear) has got more ability than what Isurava has,” he said. “He has got just as much early speed, terrific mid-race speed and his run home times for a young dog are really, really special.

“I think he will be a really nice dog, but again I don't want to put too much pressure on young dogs because they have to go out and do it.

“He is in a tough heat that includes (Ipswich Auction winner) Magistrate and (Rockhampton Cup finalist) Locked On Scotch is drawn perfectly (box one).

“But, if he does get a clear run there will be a few people who will start taking notice of him, that is for sure.

“He has not been over the 520 metres at Albion Park before but that is not an issue because he has done all his pre-training at Albion Park, so he knows that place very well.”

Kline has just a small team and juggles training and full-time work as a property assessor.

“At the moment I really enjoy going to work and then switching off from work and doing my dogs,” he said.

“The dogs are a release for me. I take my work hat off and put my gumboots on, so to speak. The balance is perfect.”