Oshyer goes all in on Mahogany Row in Super Stayers

By Isaac Murphy

Allan Oshyer has been training greyhounds for half a century and he’s had plenty of good ones along the way.

Just as he was thinking of winding down his career, a young dog with big raps on it came to his kennels; Mahogany Row was his name and the young stayer has rejuvenated the veteran trainer.

Now, Oshyer and Mahogany Row are taking on Queensland’s best stayers in the Group Three Super Stayers this Thursday night.

“He’s only young at twenty-six months and his future is in front of him, but after what he’s done winning at Ipswich and first-up at Albion Park, I’ve got to test him in a race like the Super Stayers to really see where he’s at,” Oshyer said.

“He’s going to need a bit of luck in the run to get to the fence early which he can hopefully do from box two and he’s a mad railer, so I’m hoping he doesn’t run up the back of anything.

“He’s a stayer in the making and what he’s done in a short space of time, firstly coming to me in Queensland and then jumping straight up to the staying trips with a lot of success, he’s ahead of the curve.”

The dog knocked over two restricted 630 metre races at Ipswich like an old pro before stepping up to the 710 metres for the first-time last week, and despite the four-dog field a 42.20 debut was more than a pass mark.

“He’s pulled up well from his first 710 last week, I know I’m aiming high taking him straight from a four dog field to open company but I’ve got no doubt whether it’s this year or next he’s going to be up for the challenge, he should be better for the run regardless of result,” Oshyer said.

“I’ve got no worries at all about him running the trip and if he can find a spot he’ll run all day, he doesn’t have to turn of foot of a Velocity Bettina, Classy Ethics or Infrared Lad but he won’t be intimidated by them either he’ll just run his own race.

“If he can hold his own, he’s a real place chance and it would be the perfect prelude to the Queensland Cup heats.

“Another 710 metre run under his belt this week should see him improve a few lengths and give himself a chance at making a Group 1 final the next week.”

If 2020 doesn’t pan out to be Mahogany Row’s year, Oshyer is assured it will come in the years to come, and he’s giving away a lot of starts to some of his more seasoned opponents.

“I’m really optimistic he’s going to continue to come on in leaps and bounds, I never got a chance to trial him over the 710 metres at Albion Park before he had his first run there and he looked a bit lost at times of his way to running 42.20,” he said.

“The plan was to trial him up the straight at Capalaba on Monday morning, but the rain washed that out so I’ve only been able to give him a little bit of light work at home before Thursday.

“I would have preferred a good hit out over the 366 metres, but hopefully he goes in nice a fresh fully recovered from last week.”

Mahogany Row isn’t the only stayer Oshyer has engaged in a feature Thursday night, the tried and tested Mac Roamin’ is set to test them in the Chairman’s Cup over 600 metres.

“He’s not boxed to win it (7), but he’s racing as good as he ever has and I’ve been really pleased with his preparation over the 520 metres where he’s been working home well,” Oshyer said.

“He’s going to have to find a way to the fence from out in the seven and get amongst them, which is no easy ask, the one thing you can count on is that he’ll be coming home at a rate of knots.

“His 520 metre run home is consistently around the 12.60 mark and it’s not much slower over the 600; he’s definitely not out of it if he gives them a start, if he runs well we’ll push on to the Queensland Cup heats with him too.”