Tough As Teak to be given staying test at Albion Park

By Jordan Gerrans

Innisplain trainer Darren Russell is optimistic stepping Tough As Teak up to the longest distance of his career will end the greyhound’s winless run of form.

A product of a Cosmic Rumble and Larsie Lou litter, Tough As Teak has drawn box eight for Thursday night’s Queensland Distance Championship Final at Albion Park.

The veteran of 43 career starts has only ever raced up to 630 metres in his career and will make the giant leap to 710 metres for the Final, which is worth $14,000.

Tough As Teak has not hit the winning post first since late February of this year and Russell is hopeful the extra distance could just be his dog needs to break through again.

While he has not won since the second month of 2021, Tough As Teak has run in the minor money on eight difference occasions since his last victory. 

“I had always planned to get him up to the 700 metres but he has just had a few niggles and that,” Russell, who is known for his training exploits with Group 1 stayer Bago Bye Bye, said.

“We will throw him in on Thursday night, see how he goes and we can go from there. That is why we want to get him up over a bit of distance, because he has not won for some time.

“Hopefully we can get his confidence up with a win.”

Unlike the Queensland Sprint Championship Final, that will also be run on Thursday evening at greyhound headquarters in Brisbane, there were not heats for the distance decider.

Tough As Teak’s best results have come down the straight at Capalaba but he will look to add to his one career Albion Park victory this week.

“I am not sure if he can run the distance, I think he can run it,” Russell, who also owns the greyhound, said.

“He has only had two 600 metre starts but he has gone well in both of them, he run second to Temper Tears at that distance and ran home in a good time at Albion.

“Last Saturday night he had no luck over 630 metres, just when he was about to go around them and round them up, there was a bit of a jam and he got caught in it.”

Russell has a team of 16 dogs in work and claimed a victory on Tuesday afternoon at Ipswich when Spooky Fernando got the cash.

Maggie Moo Moo, who was Group 1 placed earlier this year, will be hard to hold out in the Queensland Distance Championship Final, drawing box one.