King Kyrgios on song ahead of Gold Bullion heats

By Jordan Gerrans

Long-time trainer John Finn has branded Albion Park “the best greyhound track in Australia” ahead of his kennel’s Gold Bullion and Gold Cup tilts this week.

The Cranebrook-based conditioner will make the 11-hour drive north on Wednesday with Zipping Kyrgios and Flighty Fernando in the heats of the Group 1 Gold Bullion, as kennel mates Zipping Virginia and Zipping Ontario are in the Group 3 Gold Cup heats.

Finn has been bringing dogs north to the Sunshine State for years and has declared Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club is as good as it gets for giving each greyhound a fair opportunity to win.

“I think Albion Park is the best track in Australia, myself,” Finn said.

“It is just a good track; they can come from behind and all dogs seem to go good there.

“It is a beautiful track; everyone gets a go.

“You see a lot of dogs get run down in the straight, which is alright because everyone gets a go at them.”

Just as his namesake is making waves at Melbourne Park on the tennis court - Zipping Kyrgios, known as King Kyrgios for his stunning feats on the track – is sure to be an attraction when he does land in Brisbane.

The three-time Group-winning dog claimed the Gosford Gold Cup at Group 2 level earlier this year before scoring in the Listed The Collerson at Wentworth Park at his last start.

King Kyrgios has drawn the red rag in the fourth of five heats for the Gold Bullion on Thursday evening.

As part of the 2021-22 TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival, the Gold Bullion offers $200,000 to the winner and maintains its standing as one of the most lucrative sprints on the calendar, being Queensland’s second richest greyhound race.

“He has been good, he is a good chaser,” Finn said of King Kyrgios.

“He has drawn the right box for Thursday night, that is the main thing.

“That is what you want.”

The NSW-based star greyhound has experience at Albion Park earlier in his career, running second to the Tony Brett-trained Orchestrate in the 2021 TAB Origin Sprint Final over 520 metres.

From an Aussie Infrared and Zipping Lilly litter, Finn says the Gold Bullion was not always a long-term plan for Zipping Kyrgios.

“We just take it week-to-week, you never know how they are going to pull up,” he said.

“He has pulled up alright so we have decided to come up to Brisbane.”

Kennelmate Flighty Fernando does not have the resume of King Kyrgios but the white brindle dog will be thrown in the deep end in the second heat of the evening and will also jump from the inside alley.

Flighty Fernando, a winner of nine from 25 career starts, has drawn in the same heat as gun dog Jungle Deuce, who at his last start added the Group 1 Paws Of Thunder title to his list of achievements just weeks after triumphing in the Group 2 Golden Sands Final in Brisbane.

“He goes alright but he has not been around Albion Park before, where Jungle Deuce has,” Finn said of Flighty Fernando.

“We thought we would put him as we are taking the rest.

“Jungle Deuce will be hard to beat, he likes it up there.”
Finn also has high hopes for Zipping Ontario in the 710 metre Gold Cup heats, declaring he is boxed well in two.