First Black Jack to show hand at Ipswich

By Alex Nolan

When a greyhound called Mad Mick became a fly in the ointment for the speedy Zip Stream, the decision was made to send her to Rockhampton where she last night made it eight wins from her past nine starts for trainer Ken Boody. 

Her former trainer Pam Field hopes similar can apply, albeit in the opposite direction, for litter brother First Black Jack, who debuts at Ipswich on Friday.

First Black Jack won eight from 16 at Rockhampton and had worked his way into Open company over the 407 metres under the guidance of Boody.

He has now come south where Field will prepare him for short course races at both Ipswich and Albion Park.

First Black Jack will leave from box seven in a Fifth Grade Heat over 288m on Friday, where Field hopes to learn more about the son of Zipping Garth.

“We thought possibly the straight start (over 288m) might suit him more, being a new track to him, rather than starting him on the bend over the 431,” Field said.

“We do hope to get him up to the 431m at Ipswich, as well as the 395m at Albion Park.

“He’s been racing very well up in Rockhampton and just thought he might be okay down here over the shorts.”

Zip Stream has posted some seriously fast times since heading to Rockhampton, including a 23.28 run on January 5, about three lengths off the seven-year-old track record of 23.04. 

Last night’s win took her career record to 17 wins from 37 starts.

“She’s going so well up there, so we’re hoping for the reverse down here,” Field said.

“First Black Jack’s first sections are as good as hers.

“However, we have found a pretty strong heat (on Friday) and you can’t take those drawn inside him lightly, as we don’t know what he can do just yet.

“This will be a run for him and then we’ll make our plans after that.”

Zip Steam was doing a few things wrong while in the South East and had run into the ultra-speedy Mad Mick on numerous occasions.  

Mad Mick was undefeated in 10 starts over the 288 at Ipswich before he was sent to the Lisa Cole kennel in New Zealand.

“She was going so well here but she kept running off all the time,” Field said.

“She had a lot of ability but needed to get to the front straight away.

“It was also an awkward time because Mad Mick won 10 straight at Ipswich.

“But up there, she is jumping straight to the front.”

Field will also box Amber Days in the seventh event at Ipswich, a mixed fourth and fifth grade over 431m, where the daughter of Black Bear Lee will be looking for her first race victory since August.

As for Boody, he claimed another bag of winners at Rockhampton on Wednesday, leaving the track with six.

It followed a record haul of seven winners on a Rockhampton card in January, including Love You Peaches, who went on to win the Country Cup Final at Albion Park earlier this month.

Boody said Love You Peaches had recovered well from her Albion Park triumph and will now trial at Bundaberg before a possible tilt at the $60,000 Cup series.