Pixie My Love more than just a greyhound for trainer Adam McIntosh

By Jordan Gerrans

Adam McIntosh describes Cincinnati Juice as a “life changer” in his greyhound training career and the Bray Park-based kennel is still seeing the benefits of the quality bitch.

Pixie My Love, from a Cincinnati Juice and Dyna Villa litter, shocked many last Thursday night – getting up at $101 to qualify for the Final of the Listed Rising Stars series.

The 49-year-old McIntosh has raced a number of dogs from Cincinnati Juice’s litter, including Pixie My Love, Celeana and Inner Tea Cup, and the victories are extra special for the plasterer by trade.

“I lost the mother when they were a day old and she was family and these pups were bottle fed from a day old for seven weeks by my partner in the kennel,” McIntosh said.

“They are special, they are part of the family.

“I bought the mother and trained her, she was pretty special and won a lot of money – she won races at Wentworth Park and Thursday night here in Brisbane.

“She was a good bitch.”

Cincinnati Juice had her last race in the middle of 2017 – winning nine races from 26 starts.

Cincinnati Juice came to McIntosh after she had around nine starts for the Tony Apap kennel to start her career.

McIntosh describes the former blue bitch as a life changer in the greyhound code, introducing him to fellow trainers that he was unlikely to ever cross paths with and gain knowledge and experience from them that he is able to take into his own operation.

After cleaning up at the $101 price last Thursday, McIntosh and his loyal followers with heavy pockets turn their attention to aiming to cause another upset in the $27,250 feature event.

After just 20 races in her career – for five victories - Pixie My Love, who McIntosh also owns, is becoming known as a long-odds winner.

On her resume she has a $41 victory at Capalaba as well as a $12 triumph at Bundaberg.

After she got up at $41 down the straight at Capalaba with her trainer not having a cent on her, McIntosh vowed to never let her go around again without placing a wager and therefore got a slice of the $101 on offer on Thursday evening.

“It is great, I am a realist and that field was full of exciting young dogs,” McIntosh , who trains a team of five dogs, reflected.

“There was some self-doubt and some anxious moments but you need to make decisions – sometimes you are right and sometimes you are wrong.

“This worked out good but how it all panned out, I did not expect her to do what she did.

“I thought if she ran a place, I would have been rapt.

“I was surprised with the result but also rapt.”

McIntosh is not scared to travel around Queensland with his greyhounds, taking the Cincinnati Juice and Dyna Villa litter to tracks such as Bundaberg and Rockhampton to rid them of their immaturity.

He was told by a respected Brisbane trainer following her Pixie My Love’s run in the Bundaberg Young Guns Final, where she finished second, that she would run 520 metres and her barnstorming effort on Thursday night proved that.

That was just her first go at the extra distance.

“I have done everything I possibly can for these pups and if they did not get to the mark, I would have exhausted every avenue,” he said.

“I am taking them to Bundaberg and Rockhampton so they can get their confidence up.”

Now, the question will be - can the exciting black and white bitch spring a boil over two Thursday’s in a row in the Listed Rising Stars series Final?

McIntosh is just grateful to be in a big race and says while the dog is maturing still, she might just produce another surprise.

She will jump with the black rug on her back on Thursday night and McIntosh quickly pointed to Group 3 Townsville Cup winner Dulceria, as well as other quality dogs in the field, as his bitch faces a tough task at Listed level.

“She might have a bit of ticker and fight in her, she is very competitive,” McIntosh said.

“I am up against it in the Final, there is so much talent in the race.

“It will be tough to get across from where she has drawn, it will be an ask.

“We are there so we will have to see how it all unfolds, but we will need plenty of luck.”

The McIntosh kennel is one in-form, with Inner Tea Cup getting the money at Ipswich on Saturday evening.