Queensland kennels shoot for Million Dollar Chase glory

By Jordan Gerrans

Top conditioner Greg Stella believes a low-key hit-out up the grass straight at Capalaba is the perfect way to keep his Million Dollar Chase-bound Magistrate ticking along through the series.

The Group 3 Origin Greyhound Series Sprint Final champion from earlier this year travelled south of the border to Casino last week to claim a Regional Final of the rich New South Wales series.

The son of Fernando Bale progressed through to the Casino Final by running second in a heat seven days before.

After scoring by six lengths in the Regional Final at Casino, Magistrate now heads towards the MDC Semi-Finals at Wentworth Park in early October.

With a big gap between the races in the series, Stella opted to take his star performer to Capalaba on Wednesday of this week, where he finished second as a short-priced favourite in a photo finish.

The result of the mixed third and fourth grade race was not overly important, it was more so about keeping the MDC-bound galloper moving forward towards ‘the big dance’.

“He has raced there before and he needed a run this week so that is where we decided to go,” Stella said on Wednesday morning before the race.

While Magistrate could not get the cash on Wednesday on the grass, kennel mate Red Ranger was able to deliver the team a victory earlier in the program.

Magistrate is nearing $300,000 in career stakes for owner Donna Darcy and Stella is hopeful of securing a trial at Wentworth Park next week before the Semi-Finals on October 6.

“In a perfect world I would have liked to give the dog a race start there before the series started after his trial, but that does not look possible,” Stella said.

“He is a fairly experienced dog and we will go in with the solo 520 metre run for him, which should give him a look.”

With the lucrative prize money on offer in the series, Stella is smiling to be involved and believes the experience at Wentworth Park will be valuable if he decides to head back to the track later in Magistrate’s career.

“We are happy to have a crack,” he said.

“He has done a lot better than what we first expected.

“He has that early speed, which puts him in the races that gives him a chance.

“He has made some very nice races, the dog.”

Stella thinks experience on the Casino track helped Magistrate progress through the series.

Commencing from the seven alley, Magistrate was in front at the first turn and was not headed again over 484 metres.

“He had not raced there and the locals have an advantage but he benefited from the trial and the race the week before,” Stella said.

“He got it all right in the race, which was great.”

The Sunshine State could be represented by two Queensland-trained dogs in the Semi-Finals as Albion Park track record holder Jay Is Jay is set to contest a Regional Final at Grafton on Sunday.

The Selena Zammit-prepared speedster won a Grafton heat of the series last Sunday by more than six lengths from the one box.

Jay Is Jay will again have the red colour on for the Regional Final on Sunday.

As well as Jay Is Jay aiming to progress, Churchable-based trainer Christopher Brydon also has two starters in the Grafton Final while Albion Park regular Robert Cooke presents with Cash Master.

A total of 16 regional venues across NSW play host to qualifying events in the world’s richest greyhound series - the Million Dollar Chase. 

The lucrative series culminates with the $1 million-to-the-winner Final at Wentworth Park on October 13.