Hodges gives Queenslanders a home away from home

By Isaac Murphy

For trainers like Darren Johnstone, it simply isn’t feasible to fly to Sydney and concentrate solely on Maggie Moo Moo’s Group 1 Association campaign.

It’s for such circumstances that trainers like the Penrith-based Michael Hodges are so important, with the Sydneysider happy to take Maggie Moo Moo on short notice and give her the attention she needed to make Saturday’s Group 1 Final at Wentworth Park.

Hodges spoke about his time with the star Queensland stayer glowingly.

“I think it was critical she got down here a week before the heats and got a look at the track, she got a bit lost on her way around and even though she dropped out to seventh, I liked the way she came into the race before copping a check,” Hodges said.

“I was able to get a good hit out into her during the week and she went into Saturday far more prepared, and you could tell with the huge run from the back of the field.

“She actually jumped pretty well, she just got squashed by the dog on her outside.

“I knew she’d chase hard but to get within two lengths of the leader was massive, her run home was only four hundredths slower than Stanley Road’s.”

Maggie Moo Moo was forced to race upside down last week – being used to leading in Queensland, she was shuffled back to last – and Hodges is hoping she can get back up on the speed this week.

“The box draw has made things really interesting, most of the early speed dogs in Prim and Proper, Here’s Tears and Fernando Cazz are drawn inside her, she’s the quickest of the outside quartet and we’ll be hoping for a nice run across to hopefully sit one off mid-field,” he said.

“If she can pour on the same pressure she did mid-race last week, she’s going to make favourites like Stanley Road make up some serious ground in the run home, where they were almost identical last week.

“It’s her first Group 1 final; we all know it’s a big deal but she’s just going out and racing, she handled the crowd and surrounds well last week and expect the same come Saturday.”

The greyhound network stretches across Australia and it was a surprise meeting that’s seen dogs like It’s A Rush for the Bowe kennel also come under Hodges’ care.

“I’m originally from Coonamble in north-west New South Wales and the Bowes used to come down to the carnival every year, we struck up a friendship there and kept in touch and every time they want to bring a dog to Sydney, they give me a call,” he said.

“I’m just a hobby trainer who doesn’t have any in work at the moment, so I was rapt to get the call from Justin about It’s A Rush a few months ago and even happier to be able to deliver some really good results for them.

With the scratching of Flying Ricciardo on Saturday night, the dog gets a run in the Group 3 consolation which is excellent.

“I understand it was Justin who referred Darren (Johnstone) to me, Darren gave me a call and said ‘I can’t get down there with my responsibilities but this girl’s ready to go’ and I jumped at the chance - what a thrill it’ll be Saturday night to walk those two out.”

There are pitfalls for both the trainers travelling their dogs and Hodges own reputation but the lifelong dog man backs himself in.

“I owe a lot to both trainers, as soon as they were here there were no firm instructions, it was left up to me to set their schedule and have them ready for the right races,” he said.

“It’s a certain amount of pressure because you know they’re here to win, but I back my ability as a trainer and it seems to be working.

“For two greyhounds who are having their first interstate trip, they’ve settled into my place like they’ve been here most of their lives.”

Hodges is pinching himself that he is going to be front and centre at Wentworth Park on one of the biggest nights of the year and it all started at Coonamble.

“It’s been quite a journey for myself starting off helping out at Coonamble when I was 12, to breeding and training in Sydney and I currently work full time at a Youth Correctional Centre,” he said.

“It’s a very rewarding job but it’s nice to have an outlet with the greyhounds to step away from my work life and enjoy the sport.

“If you’re not having fun, you shouldn’t be doing it and I’m going to have a smile of my face regardless of how they go Saturday night in the big time.”