Zammit may be on holidays but his race planning is still on track

By Pat McLeod

Master Queensland trainer Tony Zammit may be on a very rare break from the track, but his mind is still in the game, planning a 700 metre future for exciting chaser Valpolicella.

The Shima Shine – Saldana youngster set tongues wagging with a sizzling finish to a quality fifth grade 600 metre heat at Albion Park last Thursday night.

Following that win in 34.58 seconds, Valpolicella will jump from box eight in this Thursday night’s Final.

Zammit will again be away, but will be watching.

“We watched last week’s run from the Cairns casino and will definitely be watching again,” he said.

“We get back home on Friday.”

Zammit and wife Maree are on a 10-day holiday in North Queensland with experienced greyhound couple, Barry and Sharon Morris, in charge of their seven-dog kennel.

Zammit may be enjoying some very well-earned 'R and R', but his thoughts never stray far from the track.

“I was very, very impressed with Valpolicella's run in the heat,” he said.

“She had to weave in her running to get around the field and she was still able to finish powerfully at the end and run a good time.

“Her run was very good when you consider the position she was in through the race. She finished that last 100 metres very strong.”

Zammit said the black bitch would gradually be stepped up to 700 metres. 

“I am a little excited by her,” he said.

“She was a little slow early in her 500 metre racing, but I told the connections that ‘we'll see how she goes over the 600 metres’.

“Some from her litter have raced and won over 700 metres in Sydney, so there was always that possibility in her bloodline that she could do it herself.

“But, I am in no hurry. I gave her some 600 metre runs at Ipswich because that is a tough run and an indicator of how she would handle more distance.

“I was very happy that she found the line very well at Albion Park last Thursday and previously at Ipswich, which seems to indicate she will handle the 700 metres. I will move her up to 700 metres after this week's Final.

“But, there is no hurry. I will trial her through some lower graded 700 metre races. She is still not seasoned enough to take on really good dogs over the longer distance for a while.

“She is still only young, about 27 months old and that is normally when I start a dog’s preparation for 700 metres. So, she’s only just starting, but will be a much more seasoned dog coming into next year’s good 700 metre races.”

Zammit said both Valpolicella, and another from his kennel, Go Bing (who will start from box two), were good chances in Thursday’s Final.

“This is a good field,” Zammit said.

“Baccarat Boy (trained by Tony Apap and jumping from box one) won well last week and will be a major threat.

“Go Bing will be up on the pace early, and is not out of it either. I would also like to give her a chance over more distance as well.”

Also parading on Thursday night is Zammit’s current kennel favourite Adulate, who is back up to his favoured 600 metres after winning over 520 metres at 'The Creek' last week.

“He has developed into a nice 600 metre dog and has certainly surged in recent weeks,” Zammit said. 

“The win last week over 520 metres was in fourth and fifth grade, so was a good, competitive race.

“This week he is back to the 600 metres and again against a good field. The box (six) is OK because I don't mind him out wide. He tends to stay off the track a little bit and isn't really a railer.

“If he can begin like he did the previous week then he will be up near the lead early. The one dog (Hara's River) and the two (Blue Hornet) are both excellent dogs.”

Other highlights on Thursday night include the appearance of Tony Brett’s quality sprinter Just A Sort in race five, a fourth grade over 520 metres. 

The Aston Dee Bee - She's A Sort dog had almost eight months off the track through injury. His three runs since resuming on July 5 have all been over 395 metres at Albion Park, for three wins.

Just A Sort finished second to Brett’s Orchestrate in the 2022 Group 1 Brisbane Cup, has won a Group 2 Queensland Derby and to date has amassed $221,355 in prize money.