Trainer Kevin Galloway has eyes on Ipswich Auction Sprint Series Final

By Jordan Gerrans

After having a "certainty beaten" in the Ipswich Auction Sprint Series Final three years ago, stalwart trainer Kevin Galloway is hopeful Galway Governor can deliver his kennel a victory in the feature event in 2022. 

Back in 2019, the breeder, owner and trainer had litter brothers Galway Johann, Galway Ludwig and Rising Beyond line up in the Ipswich Auction Series Final, which was run over 520 metres.

On that night at Ipswich, Galway Johann started as an odds-on favourite and looked to be travelling beautifully into the final stages. 

“He was a certainty beaten on that last turn, he got wiped out on the final bend,” Galloway recalls.

While this Saturday night’s Ipswich Auction Series Final is over a shorter distance than the 2019 edition – to be run over 431 metres – the experienced dog man would love to clinch a victory.

Galway Governor claimed his semi-final last week and will jump from box five in the Final.

Galway Governor, a Red Brindle Dog that Galloway owns and bred, was able to avoid the bumps on the first turn in his last start around Ipswich to rail through in the middle stages.

The Tamborine-based trainer thinks the box draw will make it hard for Galway Governor but believes if he gets a clean run, he is every chance to score.

The son of Fernando Bale claimed his heat in 25.59 seconds, a touch slower than the other semi, which was won by Greg Stella’s Building Success.

“He has always shown a bit of ability and I have always been happy with him,” Galloway said.

“He just got lucky in the semi with the trouble and he was able to run away from them.

“He can run those sort of times, he is capable of winning the Final if he can get a good run at them.”

The Ipswich Auction Sprint Series over 520 metres will be run across the first three weeks of April in 2022, which Galloway feels Galway Governor will also be competitive in.

The Ipswich Auction Sprint Series over 520 metres has been run since 1989.

The 431-metre series is a relatively new concept, being won by the Group 3-placed Little Byrnes and trainer John Catton last year, with He's a Minstrel, for trainer Rob Jacobson, claiming the first edition two years ago.

The veteran dog man is realistic about his chances in the Final after his greyhound was gifted a slice of luck in the semi-final.

“He is not really reliable as a fast beginner so I am not sure how well he will go in the Final,” Galloway said.

“He has drawn in the middle of the pack so I will be crossing my fingers in the Final.

“The outside and inside are faster than him.”

Tungsten Miss, for trainer Jedda Cutlack, started as a hot favourite for the semi and after running into trouble will be an emergency for the Final.

The Noel Evans-trained Twenty To One started second favourite in the other semi-final and also could not go directly into the Final and like Tungsten Miss will be hoping for a scratching or two to get a start. 

The majority of Galloway’s dogs run with Galway in their racing names.

“I just picked that as a prefix,” he said.

“It is a mixture of my last name partly. I name all of mine that.”

One of his dogs with the Galway name, Fernando's Best, is a greyhound the trainer is hoping can eventually run 520 metres.

Fernando's Best is a litter sister to Galway Governor – from a Fernando Bale and Bonnie's Dream litter.