Short course to sprint simple for Double Return

By Isaac Murphy

Double Return has been a marvel over the flying 288-metre sprint at Ipswich, claiming a record seven races at the track and trip.

Trainer Brian Francis could be forgiven for turning up every week for a pay cheque, but over time the veteran trainer saw signs the dog was capable of more and in the last month has made a daring bid to get him ready for the Ipswich Auction Series.

The dog’s last win over the 288 metres came in early August, before Francis kept him away from the track for two weeks in preparation for his 500-metre debut where he’d go on to run a 30.76, and the trainer was as surprised as anyone he was so good so quickly.

“I honestly didn’t think he’d get to the 500, but in his short course races and trials his sectionals kept improving, so I thought I’ll give him a go and he’s looked great,” Francis said.

“There’s been quite a turnaround in his manners, when I first got him he was the biggest rat bag and I don’t think it helped his racing either, he’s just started to mature and I think that’s helped with the jump in distance too.

“He’s been a marvel over the 288 metres, he’s won seven races there now which I think is a record and it will always be an option, but the money involved in this 500-metre Auction Series is incredible and he deserves his chance to see if he’s up to it.”

Double Return’s 500-metre debut was close to faultless, flying across from the seven with fresh legs, and his second-up run where he finished three lengths third was in no way a bad run but Francis has learnt from a “trainer error” he made that week.

“His first-up run over the 500 where he went straight to the front and never looked like getting beaten couldn’t have been any better,” he said.

“Second-up last week he was just a bit flat, I slipped him on Tuesday before the race on Saturday and I think it took a bit out of him, he still ran a close third but he’ll be getting a nice quiet week this time.

“I’ve just been walking him and right now he’s free galloping out the back of my place and looking a million bucks, he should be up and going Saturday.”

Francis was chuffed to see his dog come up with box eight in Saturday’s heat, and despite the presence of classy dogs like Fire Drill and Rio Valiente, Francis is only worried about his own.

“His two 500-metre runs have both been from box seven and he’s drawn the eight in his heat this week which I think is really going to suit him, if he jumps clear he just charges for that first corner and should lead easily,” he said.

“It’s a bold declaration but I think he can win his heat on Saturday night; it sounds silly but you don’t really have to look at the form of the other dogs with him, he’s going to need to ping the lids and lead to win and the way he’s travelling I think he can do it.

“Even if he gets chased down, he showed last week that he’s got some fight in him and won’t completely drop out the back, I think he’ll get through and hopefully get another wide draw in the semis.”

The jump in distance has raised a few eyebrows in the industry but Francis was sure to do his due diligence in getting the dog rock hard fit.

“I’m a believer of once you’ve got the conditioning in them it’s just a matter of maintaining it, they don’t need much more work,” Francis said.

“People look at his results and see that he’s gone straight from the 288 metres to the 520, but he had a good two weeks in between where I just let him free gallop at home which along with a couple of trials really had him stripped fit first-up and he’s only looked better since.”

Francis knows he’s got a pretty special dog on his hands and is not taking anything for granted but can’t wait to test him at Capalaba and over the 500 at Albion Park going forward.

“Once he got over his bad manners at home early in his career, he’s turned into a lovely dog to train; always gives you his best, we’ve been blessed with injury, he’s just a keen chaser,” he said.

“Depending on how he goes in this series we’ll see where his future lies because I’ve been as impressed and surprised as anyone to see him handle the traditional sprint trip.

“It gives me a lot of options to mix and match him over different distances, if he’s struggling over the 500 metres at Albion Park where I’m keen to take him, he can always go back to the 288 for a couple of starts.”

Francis always casts his keen eye over the Puppy Auction and saw plenty he liked in Double Return.

“The chap that owns him - Brian Buckley - he’s from down south, we’d done a bit of business over the last year or so breeding a litter together, so I had a look around for him at the auction,” he said.

“I’d spotted him in the catalogue because he was out of Slayer Return and she was a very speedy bitch who took a bit of the same path Double Return’s taking now winning over the sprint and eventually getting up in distance.”

“Brian was happy with my decision, so we went ahead and bought him and he’s turned into a real success story.”

Francis is in the twilight of his career, making a dasher like Double Return even more exciting for the lifelong dog man.

“I’m so excited to have a dog like him to take to the races every week, I’m 83 now and we’re trying to cut down on numbers in the kennel, so it’s great to have one with so much good racing to come,” he said.

“For about the last five years my wife has always said these are the last dogs we’re buying but I just can’t get enough of them, I just love it.”