Deck Fifty Two set to extend unbeaten stretch

By Alex Nolan

Retirement couldn’t come at a better time for Deck Fifty Two’s part-owner Noel Noon, who will take a rare opportunity to be trackside at Ipswich on Tuesday to see his recently crowned National Straight Track Champion in action.

Noon, who races Deck Fifty Two in conjunction with breeder Lawrie Meteyard, completed his last shift on the Brisbane Wharves after 25 years at Patrick Stevedores on Sunday. 

The Darren Russell-trained Deck Fifty Two had the greyhound world talking last week after winning a Mixed Fourth and Fifth Grade heat over 431 metres at Ipswich in a blistering 24.60 seconds.

The time was just 0.06 seconds outside the track record set by Regal Recall in 2019 and the fifth-fastest recorded at the track and trip.

He becomes the second Russell-trained runner to sit inside the top five times posted over 431m at Ipswich, following Go Lassie Go who recorded a time of 24.58 seconds back in 2018.

It completed a string of four straight wins, including last month’s National Straight Track title at Capalaba, which gave Noon his biggest thrill in racing.

“I’ve never had so much fun,” Noon said.

“I couldn’t believe the time he ran last week.”

Deck Fifty Two is likely to start a short-priced favourite in race eight on the 12-race card when he jumps from box six in the Mixed Fourth and Fifth Grade Final at 4:47pm on Tuesday.

He’ll be out to record his seventh win from nine attempts over the 431m journey and Noon couldn’t be happier with how Russell has his rising three-year-old going.

“Darren has done a terrific job. He places them so well…I can’t speak highly enough of him,” he said.

“I’ll definitely be there tomorrow as I finished up work yesterday.

“I will be able to get to the races a lot more because I worked plenty of shift work on the wharves.

“We would sit around at smoko listening to the races at work, wishing I was there.”

Deck Fifty Two is from the first litter by Barcia Bale and Mitchie Madam that also includes recent Christmas Stocking winner Wolf Steele and Group 1 finalist Little Byrnes.  

Combined, the litter has collected more than $217,000 for their various connections and Noon is looking forward to seeing whether the dam can produce more exciting prospects in the future.  

“We’ve got three more pups by Mitchie Madam (ex Zambora Brockie) being broken in next month,” Noon said.

Mitchie Madam also has a young litter by Superior Panama, sire of recent Group 3 winner Zipping Kansas.

Meanwhile, boxes have been drawn for Saturday night’s Corporate Dollars Challenge final over 520m at Ipswich.

Spring Kono qualified fastest for the $12,600 final, recording 30.51 seconds in her heat.

The fastest qualifier for last year’s Group 3 Ipswich Cup will jump from box three for Team Byers.

Recent Bogie Leigh Futurity winner, the unbeaten Tungsten Miss has drawn box eight after recording a winning time of 30.60 seconds at her Ipswich debut.

Tungsten Miss was one of the finds of the year in 2021, winning the Dave Brett Memorial Maiden Series en route to the Futurity.

Last week’s heat win made it six wins from as many starts for trainer Jedda Cutlack, who trains Tungsten miss for the IDGA Syndicate featuring Ian Nash, Julian Dash and trainer Tom Tzouvelis.

Runners are allocated a sponsor for the final, with the winning sponsor receiving naming rights to the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club’s winning post.

Race Caller John Brasch’s early tip to take the feature is Spring Kono. 

CORPORATE DOLLARS CHALLENGE FINAL BOX DRAW

1. SUSHI MANGO – BODHI INK TATOO GALLERY
2. KINLOCH CHARM – GJ WALSH & CO
3. SPRING KONO – JUST GREYHOUND PHOTOGRAPHY
4. RINGBARK BOUND – GREYHOUND GEAR
5. REFERRAL – CHASE NEWSPAPER
6. MATT CHEW MAN – GARRARD’S HORSE & HOUND
7. OH OH RANGE – WHITE ROSE BOARDING KENNELS
8. TUNGSTEN MISS – BEENLEIGH LEGAL

RESERVES

9. BOLD HORNER
10. HARA’S HUNTER