Shima shines brightest on golden night of chasing

By Isaac Murphy

Thursday night’s card at Albion Park served up the best greyhound racing had to offer, as challengers from far and wide converged for four heats of the 520-metre Group 1 Gold Bullion as well as three heats of the 710-metre Listed Gold Cup.

While plenty impressed, the spotlight shone brightest on Victorian superstar Shima Shine who set the track alight with a stunning effort over the sprint trip, setting the standard for his challengers next week.

Kennel representative Tom Dailly had said during the week that the stars had aligned for the Top Gun winner coming up with his favourite draw in the eight and he duly saluted.

In trademark fashion he was the last dog off the mat but charged across the field to set a 5.51 first sectional, and the rest was times and margins as he got in by nine lengths in the quickest heat time of 29.62.

The dog is kennelled with Queensland trainer Greg Brennan for his stay, and his caretaker said he hadn’t missed a beat since arriving.

“He looked a million bucks as soon as we got him off the plane, first trip to Queensland you get a bit concerned with the heat and other things, but he came ready to race,” Brennan said.

“Like any dog another week in the same environment will do him good, we saw how good he was first look at the track tonight if things go his way, they’ll have to run amazing time to beat him.”

Tommy Shelby peaking

Throughout the recent Golden Ticket match race series, trainer Steve Withers had stressed West Australian gun Tommy Shelby would do his best racing in a field of eight and the man who’s guided him since day one wasn’t wrong, clocking 29.7 in his heat.

“Winning the Golden Ticket would’ve been great but the whole reason we came across early was to get the double shot,” Withers said.

“He’s continued to look and feel better in himself each week he’s been up here and lining up against seven other dogs he’s a competitive beast and we saw that tonight.

“Shima Shine will come out and run quicker time than him tonight but put us in a final with it all on the line and I’ll back my boy every time.”

Sentenced salutes the judge

Queensland’s chances in the Final will be headed by Tony Brett’s wonder pup Sentenced who enhanced his reputation with what’s becoming a trademark swooping win, and Brett was relieved after missing out on the Golden Ticket.

“It’s been a stressful couple of weeks, after running the quickest time in the heats of the Golden Ticket we thought we were a pretty good chance, but it wasn’t to be,” Brett said.

“He had to do it the hard way and to his credit he fronted up and delivered tonight and we’ve got a spot in the big dance.

“The competition is going to be immense but that’s what we signed up for, Group 1s don’t come easy.”

Byrning desire for a maiden Group 1

The surprise heat winner of the night was John Catton’s Little Byrnes, and with just 14 starts under his belt he was giving up plenty of experience to his rivals but prevailed in 29.94 giving the trainer his first Group 1 finalist.

“When he drew box two tonight, I knew he’d be a realistic chance; he knows how to find the front and he can improve a couple of tenths on that 5.62 first section,” Catton said.

“I did wonder if the race was a little bit too early for him, but he’s been running super time at Ipswich and why not give him a chance.

“I’ve always had a big opinion and high expectations on him, but I didn’t think he’d give us a thrill like this so early.”

The other four qualifiers were made up of the fastest three second placings: Bianca Whitford’s Ninetymile King, Nicole Connell’s It Ain’t Billy and Selena Zammit’s Kooringa Lucy.

The trio will be joined by Golden Ticket winner Crazy Cool - who trialled in 29.7 for Rob Jacobsen before the first race of the evening - to round out a stellar Group 1 field.

Southern raiders dominate Gold Cup heats

Interstate stars came to the fore in the three heats of the $113,000 Gold Cup for the stayers, with all three winners benefitting from a run in the Clem Jones Cup last week headed by Robbie Britton’s Here’s Tears who set the benchmark with a 41.72-second clip.

“I was quite pleased with his run last week, it would have been nice to win but we got him here early to top him up for tonight and it’s clearly had an effect,” Britton said.

“He was able to roll to the front and when he gets to the lead, he’s just able to maintain a pace not many can keep up over the trip.

“Hopefully he’s up there early again next week and really making the backmarkers work overtime to run him down.”

Brisbane trainer Darren Johnstone was rapt with the run of Maggie Moo Moo, at just her second attempt over the trip she was taking ground late off the winner with a good second, and she’ll be joined by Northern Rivers trainer Jeff Ahern’s Burnt Ends who stuck on well for third.

It was a double dose of success for the Dailly kennel, with Sunset Bourbski at her eye-catching best coming from last to win her heat in 41.78.

Tom Dailly had expressed concern about her inside draw given her racing pattern of getting to the outside and roaring around dogs, but when she was able to extricate herself off the fence early, she looked the winner a long way out.

She claimed the leaders a long way out to finish three-and-a-half clear of Clem Jones Winner Big Boy Bruce for Ray Burman and Let’s See for New South Wales trainer Mark Davidson.

With Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria already represented in next week’s Final, it was left up to Sir Truculent in the final heat to add a South Australian flavour.

The Wally Harkins-trained dog has a cult following around the country and it usually winning Free For Alls at Angle Park on Thursday nights, but after a rushed preparation for the Clem Jones he was at his best under the care of Tony Brett in his heat.

“Wally just wanted the run in him last week, he needed to get up here and have a good blow and you saw the benefit this week,” Brett said.

“He’s settled in like one of our own at home and I really liked his chances coming into tonight; there were a lot of good dogs in the field, but none that run the trip like him.

“He’ll need to camp a bit closer next week and if he does, he can really turn the screws in the middle and latter stages.”