Hazelgrove has a score to settle with the Futurity

By Isaac Murphy

Brett Hazelgrove knows how to train a good bitch, with the recently retired Dam Slippery taking home 2019 Greyhound of the Year honours after winning the Richmond Oaks and Origin Sprint last year.

However, the trainer has a score to settle after missing out by a nostril in last year’s Group 2 Bogie Leigh Futurity, and believes he has a bitch that can go one better in the rising My Movie Star.

At 21 months, the bitch has already racked up seven wins at close to a 50% strike rate and despite just two runs for a win and a place over the 500 metres, Hazelgrove likes what he sees, especially from box one in Thursday’s heat.

“She didn’t get it right at the start last time and was in the 5.6 range to the first mark, I’m pretty confident she can get that down to 5.5,” he said.

“She’s been coming out of the boxes as well as Dam Slippery did over the short course.

“If she can do that in the run to the first turn, she’s a good chance of leading that field with the nice draw.

“The query is obviously her run home having only had the two starts over the 500 metres, but I think there’s something a little special about her and she can take a couple of tenths off.

“It’s a big jump from 331 to 520 metres, but all she’s done in her young career is get better; ideally this race would probably come a month later, but you only get one shot at it and she’s a chance.”

Hazelgrove bred the litter of Dyna Double One/Splendid Star pups and said My Movie Star stuck out from her eight siblings from the start.

“She broke in really well and we were able to get her to the track at 19 months and she came out and won her first three starts at Townsville which gave her plenty of confidence - we’ve been able to fast-track her a little quicker than expected,” he said.

“I always start off over the 331 metres whether I think they’re going to get further or not, and she was running the times Dam Slippery, Call Me Ugo and All About Tiger did, I think she can be in that category if she continues this ascension.

“I’ve been lucky to have good dogs like that I can use as a reference point for what I do with her, she’s ahead of schedule right now.”

Dam Slippery was narrowly beaten in 30.05 in last year’s final, and My Movie Star ran 30.28 first start over the trip and thinks she can find that time.

“With four going through from the two heats I’d love to see her qualify whether that’s first or fourth because she’ll be better next week,” he said.

“I thought she would make Group finals, but not this early in her career; it would be a real bonus if she was able to give herself a shot and with no out-and-out favourite for the series who knows.

“Early speed can often be everything in these age races and that’s one thing she possesses in spades, if there’s trouble behind she could pinch it.”

Hazelgrove said the short course days were effectively over for the young gun who’ll get plenty of shots at some nice races with age on her side.

“She’s set at 500 metres now, the only reason we may drop her back from time to time is for a freshen up,” he said.

“At 21 months, there’s going to be plenty of age races coming up she’ll be eligible for, which makes this experience all the more valuable to feel at home in that company.

“I always like to travel when I can for a suitable race, and I think Wentworth Park would suit her front-running style in the future.”

Hazelgrove has been in a replenishing phase over the past few months but with the emergence of My Movie Star and others, he’s looking forward to spending more time at the track.

“My racing numbers have probably been down the last few months, I’ve been working on this litter and some other young ones coming through, but they’re just starting to get to the track now,” he said.

“I’ve got three in on Sunday, two Ringbark dogs who were previously with Serena Lawrance and another young pup who I think will all go close to winning.

“Darryl McCoy owns the two Headbound/Cardwell dogs coming over from Serena’s kennel, he puts a lot of money into the industry and it’s always nice to have a new owner.”

Like any trainer, Hazelgrove needs a helping hand and credits a familiar name for helping get My Movie Star’s career off the ground.

“I’ve got to give Josh Gatehouse a shout out, he’s a part-owner of My Movie Star and helped me out a lot breaking her in and with education - he got the ball rolling,” the trainer said.

“Whenever he’s there he still boxes the bitch for me and is very hands on, you like to see that engagement.

“He’s got a good eye because he certainly chose a good one in her, I know he’s already rapt with what she’s done but hopefully there’s plenty more to come.”