Bourke family dreaming of Capalaba Cup glory

By Jordan Gerrans

The late Bruce Bourke would be looking down at a dog such as Beck and Call thinking “wow”.

That is the view of Bourke’s daughter – Lou – as the family shoot for their biggest prize in their decades in the greyhound racing industry this Sunday in the Group 3 Capalaba Cup Final.

After Bruce passed away almost a decade ago, his widow Christine took over the training duties for their family at their Ebenezer kennel, with daughter Lou also providing a helping hand on top of her full-time employment.

Christine has been around the code for much of her life and has labelled Beck and Call as the best dog the family have ever put a collar on.

The black dog is an 11-time winner from just 15 career starts, with one of those victories coming in Sunday’s Capalaba Cup heats in 19.83 seconds.

Before Bruce’s death, he was trainer by name for the family.

Christine took over the title nine years ago and Lou believes her late father would be delighted with the way Christine has prepared the kennel since he has been gone.

“He would be saying “wow, wow”,’ Lou said.

“I can see him looking down from the heavens and thinking she is amazing.

“It is just a dream really; it was one of their dreams to have dogs like this and he would be very proud.”

The Capalaba Cup for 2022 will be the highest level of competition the family have ever competed in.

Christine recalls one of their dogs going close in an Ipswich Cup many moons ago, but she says victory on Sunday afternoon down the grass straight would surpass that as their greatest honour.

It is not just Beck and Call who the team have had success with of late.

Shot The Sheriff and Don't Tell Helen both come from the same Bekim Bale and High Class Belle litter and have combined to almost notch 20 victories.

The Queensland grass track is a favourite of Christine’s and it was also special to Bruce before he passed away.

“Like me, Bruce loved racing at Capalaba,” Christine said.

“When he became ill, we would take him to Capalaba meetings in a wheelchair.

“He would be very proud to have a runner in the cup Final.”

Christine’s involvement in greyhounds was sparked by her late husband Bruce, who had always taken an interest.

“One day he came to the shop where I was working and told me he bought a pup and that was the start of it,” Christine said.

“Once we had one, we had two, then three and four and I couldn’t shake the bug.

“The love of the greyhound gets me out of bed in the morning.”

With Bruce gone, Lou has upped her involvement in the kennel.

That has only increased in recent months as Christine has recovered from a hip replacement.

Lou jokes she is a “foreman” for the kennel as her mother works her way back surgery.

“I am just so proud of mum,” Lou said.

“From where she come from and getting over the surgery, to just keep going, she does it every day without complaining.

“It is just beautiful for her to see the dogs that she has reared get to this stage and run the way they have.

“She loves her dogs and it keeps her going every day, she is so dedicated.”

Beck and Call has become a Capalaba specialist in his short racing tenure, winning eight from 12 attempts at the track, with three other minor placings.

He won the 2022 Capalaba Young Guns Final on the way through to the Cup series.

Beck and Call’s heat was the slowest of the four on Sunday but he has shown he can run smart time down the 366 metre circuit earlier in his career, with a best time of 19.39 seconds.

The field for the Cup of 2022 is jam-packed with quality but Christine has faith in her chaser, who goes by the name “Oliver” around her kennel.

“It was a good performance in the heats but I think he can go a lot faster than the time he ran,” Christine said.

“I am hoping he can go quicker again in the Final.

“But, this dog is a very fast dog, the fastest we have ever had, he is just a slow starter.

“He has gone through the grades at Capalaba well after winning on debut.”

As it is one of the biggest occasions in Christine’s more than 35 years in greyhound racing, Lou has viewed a change in her mannerisms since Sunday’s heats.

“I have never seen Mum so nervous around the dogs but I keep telling her just to relax,” Lou said.

“She is under a bit of pressure; I have never seen her like this before in her life.

“But, it comes down to the dogs ability and mum understands and nurtures that.

“It is a big thing and the whole family is behind Mum, there is a lot of support for Christine.

“They know what kind of dedicated, loving and nurturing trainer that she really is.”

Lou has been blown away by the support her mother has received from others within the industry, noting she has received numerous calls and messages about just how well her chasers had been racing of late.

The Bourkes have a kennel of about a handful on their property which will be just a short drive from the new Greater Brisbane Greyhound Centre when it is completed.

Oliver is a beautiful natured dog – Lou says – describing him as an affectionate greyhound, who loves pats and kisses.

“The whole litter is very special,” Lou said.

Beck and Call comes from a nine strong litter out of Bourke’s retired race bitch High Class Belle, who has continued a strong dam line going back Pinata Belle.

Bourke kept four out of the litter, which she bred in conjunction with trainer Greg Mellen.

“I broke them in and knew from day one that they had ability,” Christine said.