Medcalf kennel in hunt for Bogie Leigh Futurity

By Jordan Gerrans

Terrence Medcalf feels he never saw the absolute best of Shot Clock and is now banking on her impressive daughter Stop Watch making up for lost time.

The Carina-based trainer and owner only prepares a small team of dogs these days but is optimistic around the future of Stop Watch, starting with the heats of the Bogie Leigh Futurity on Thursday evening at Albion Park.

Now a brood bitch, Shot Clock, was one of Medcalf’s top greyhounds through 2016-2019, making Group finals at Albion Park throughout her career as well as competing in heats of the Group 1 Brisbane Cup, which yielded 20 victories from 47 starts.

While Shot Clock earned $65,484 in career stakes with a 43 per cent winning record, the painter by trade – Medcalf – knows it could have been much more if she did not have injury concerns.

“No one ever saw the best of her,” the experienced trainer said on Wednesday morning.

“She was really versatile – she could run 330 metres up to 600 metres – and just run fast times but she got hurt very early on.

“She had some bad injuries, in her groin and others, she was going 29.80 seconds before that.

“I think she was going to be a really top class bitch but those injuries knocked her around a bit.

“Every time there was good races coming up, she would come on season, so I never got the chance to contest them.”

Medcalf has a litter of four from Aston Dee Bee and Shot Clock, with Stop Watch the most promising of the lot so far.

She has run inside the top two in 10 of her 14 career races and is ideally drawn in box two for the first of the two heats for the Group 2 Bogie Leigh Futurity on Thursday evening.

Litter brother Sin Bin has also made a promising start to his career, winning six from 18, while Trying Times is also a multiple winner from the litter.

“The whole litter has been disappointing in the way they were very immature and did a lot of things wrong,” Medcalf said.

“There was only four in the litter and while they all have ability, but how far they will go with it is unknown because of their temperament.

“Stop Watch is one that has matured faster and she is above average in ability, she seems to get better as it has taken some time for her strength to come, I think it will come.

“She has good early speed, which is something that is a big bonus, she is going quick early which always puts you at the front of the field earlier – where you need to be.”

With just four greyhounds in work, as well as litters coming through the ranks, the Medcalf operation is a team effort from the family, the trainer says.

The father of six relies heavily on his wife and daughter Chloe, especially, who works down at the greyhound club at Capalaba while also being the team’s kennel attendant.

Medcalf is hoping to scale back his work commitments in the coming years and focus more attention into his greyhound operation.

The veteran trainer has missed some training work with his greyhounds over the last fortnight due to the heavy rain around Brisbane but has adapted by using the walking machine and swimming his chasers.

He is hopeful Stop Watch can put her best foot forward on Thursday night and build through the entire carnival.

“I think she has a lot more improving to do as she gets older,” he said.

“But, at this stage, she looks like she is above average and in six months’ time, I think she will be able to mix it with the best dogs up here.

“I think she is right into this Futurity right up to her eyeballs.

“I think she should make it through to the Final and she will be better for the run next week with another run under her belt and miles in her legs.”

The TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival will be staged from December to February with Group racing commencing at Albion Park on December 16 with the Queensland Derby and the Bogie Leigh Futurity.

Three heats of the Group 2 Queensland Derby will also be run on Thursday night at Albion Park ahead of the Final in seven days’ time.

Click here to see the full program for the 2021-22 TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival.