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By Isaac Murphy

Capalaba’s Straight of Origin Series is back with a vengeance in 2021.

Last week's heats pitted Queensland and New South Wales against each other to establish this week's eight-dog Final, with four from each state fighting it out for the $14,000 winners cheque, but more importantly bragging rights for their state.

The Queensland team includs fastest qualifier and former Capalaba Cup winner Hara’s Clyde for Tony Brett, Pete O’Reilly’s Zabdon Adesanya and Terry Priest’s Magical Trav.

However, it was Selena and Mick Zammit’s recently converted Queenslander Oliver Keeping who turned heads at just his third Capalaba start.

“We were hopeful of representing Queensland in the Final, he did have some form up the straight," Mick Zammit said. 

"His second run for us back in March he went 19.72 and he’s improved since then, so it wasn’t a total surprise to see him finish less than two lengths off a dog (Hara’s Clyde) who ran 19.40 on Sunday.

“That was still a big challenge coming up against dogs who race up the straight every week, he’s still a bit green at the jump and wanted to race all over the track, so here’s hoping he’s got some improvement in him this week.

“He’s going to need to go quicker as well, the four New South Wales dogs are all class headed by Louis Rumble who’s a jet up the straight and on the circle, I’m just hoping we don’t run any of our other Queenslanders over and cost us the race.”

Races

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Capalaba | Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club | 2:14 PM

QLD WYNNUM HAULAGE Straight Of Origin H

Adept over the 500 metres, the 366-metre straight is no obstacle for Oliver, but it’s blink and you miss it stuff at box rise.

“His biggest vice on Sunday is going to be getting out of the boxes, he’s drawn the four so if he wants to race all over the track again, he’s going to need to find some clear air early,” Zammit said.

“One thing he can do is find the line there, he went just as quick as Hara’s Clyde last week and his previous two runs there his closing section has been the quickest of the day.

“If he does happen to hit the front halfway up the straight, I don’t think anything would run him down - he’s got a big motor once he’s up and running.

The dog ran 19.52 in defeat last week, and that time is more than competitive, but he’s going to need some breaks.

“The way the race has been drawn he should get an opportunity if he’s on his toes, Hara’s Clyde and Magical Trav shouldn’t bother him from inside draws, then he’s got Ram’s Bonus to his inside and Louis Rumble to his outside who tend to run pretty straight,” Zammit said.

Oliver Keeping

“I think the three drawn outside are real dangers; Zabdon Adesanya for Pete O’Reilly in the six is a track specialist and Frankie Da Silva and Scraping By should get left alone to wind up out wide.

“You hope he just gets a fair crack at it and if he’s beaten by a better dog so be it.”

The Zammit kennel was recently hit with the disappointing news that Sequana wouldn’t be fit to take her place in the State of Origin match race at Albion Park, so a Capalaba win could be nice consolation.

“There’s been plenty of hype around the State of Origin series during the Winter Carnival in a few weeks and while that’ll be on a grander stage, the community support here at Capalaba is second to none and they should be lining the fences Sunday,” Zammit said.

“I know speaking to trainers who were involved when the series last ran in 2019, they said it’s something you want to be apart of and we’ll be doing so proudly.

“There’s a lot of talk they’re going to beat us on the circle so hopefully one of the four can do the business for Queensland on Sunday.”