By Isaac Murphy
Keith Boan has been bringing greyhounds to Albion Park from his Kynnumboon property in Northern New South Wales for 18 years without landing a Thursday night double.
That all changed last week as the trainer not only took out two races, but did it with litter sisters Lady Xena and Noaki Queen, who both line up in the heats of the Young Guns this Thursday night.
“We’ve finally bred a litter who can run the 520 and it makes the drive a lot more enjoyable when you know you have a couple who are going to finish in the first four,” Boan said.
“I’ve had a lot of dogs who have won races over the shorter course, but it’s always been a goal to get a litter who run a strong 520 and thankfully we’ve found them.”
Boan said despite the fact Lady Xena and Noaki Queen were full sisters they went about their racing very differently.
“They’ve always shown very individual traits, Lady Xena has always had that early toe, where as Noaki Queen needs a bit of space early but really gets rolling down the back,” Boan said.
The trainer knew from an early age the prodigy of Dyna Villa and Noaki Comet had potential, starting their careers in strong company.
“I took them down to Maitland last year for their big Maiden Series for their first starts, that was the opinion I had of them,” Boan said.
“It didn’t quite go their way but getting those tough races into them early really sped up the maturation process, they’re pretty smart race bitches now.”
Boan has been dealt the visitors draw with Lady Xena drawing box four in Heat One and Noaki Queen the four in heat two and declared expects the races to be the Sister’s toughest test yet.
“Noaki Queen’s race is just so hard, there are that many quality greyhounds with early speed she’ll probably struggle to go with them, but anything can happen at that first turn and she’ll be running home,” Boan said.
“Lady Xena will give herself a great hope to at least qualify for the final if she begins like she did last week and can find the front.
“Lady Xena is definitely the quickest dog, I’ve got no doubts with a little more maturity she’ll break the 30 at Albion.”
While Lady Xena and Noaki Queen are the standouts the litter has an incredible strike rate making the commute North a no brainer for Boan.
“There’s eight in the litter and seven have won races so far and the eighth isn’t far off,” he said.
“Now that we have a couple of bitches who need to be racing in Thursday night grade I’ll be bringing them up every week.
“They need to be racing that calibre of dog and last years prize money increase doesn’t hurt either.”