Trainer Sharyn Jackson continues to rise in the greyhound game

By Jordan Gerrans

Training newcomer Sharyn Jackson recalls watching races with two dogs in it from Albion Park and wondering why there was not a full field of eight running around.

Jackson – who only started her first dog in a race in October of 2021 – is off course remembering watching the Finals of the Golden Ticket over the last couple of years.

While she has been around the code her entire life – with her mother Jean Hose a consistent trainer for decades – Jackson was unaware of the concept of the Golden Ticket and why races were being run with less dogs than usual.

The Group 3 Golden Ticket has quickly become a popular event through the Golden Greys Summer Carnival in recent years.

The heats of the Golden Ticket were conducted as four-dog shoot-outs last Thursday, with the Final run as two-dog match races this week – with the winner determined by the fastest time.

It underlines just how quickly Jackson has risen in the greyhound code that a couple of years ago she was unaware of the Golden Ticket as a race style and now in 2023, she has a leading hope to win through to the Group 1 Gold Bullion this year.

“I have seen two dog races before but because I am so new to it, I am not sure how long they have been running this concept for,” Jackson said.

“I did not pay too much attention.

“I do remember now seeing it on television and wondering why there was two dogs only in the race instead of eight.

“I was not paying attention because I was not properly involved and now, one of my dogs is a Finalist.

“It is great really to be involved.”

Chambers Flat-based trainer Jackson qualified Springtime Jet the second fastest heat winner last Thursday night, jumping from out wide in seven to score in 29.68 seconds in the last of the four heats. 

For Jackson to land a runner in the big Group 3 Final follows her qualifying kennel mate Springtime Storm for the Listed Queensland Flame Final late last year.

The smiling trainer has gone from not even holding a licence to prepare greyhounds about 18 months ago to now competing against some of the biggest and most prolific kennels in the Sunshine State.

Jackson’s mum - Jean Hose –trained for the best part of four decades in Queensland, before recently handing over the bulk of her kennel to her daughter.

Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse thinks Jackson’s rise has been one of the highlights of the 2022-23 Golden Greys Summer Carnival so far. 

“It has been great to see Sharyn Jackson emerge during this carnival,” Gatehouse said.

“She has picked up the team of dogs from her mother Jean Hose when Jean retired from training.

“She has really taken it on in great stead.

“She has got a great litter coming through and she has made the Final of the Golden Ticket, which is a great achievement.

“Sharyn was excited to even be in the heats and now she is even more excited to be in the Final.”

As her kennel has been flying of late, Jackson is thrilled to be enjoying the ride her dogs are taking her on.

While Hose is no longer training, she still offers a word or two of guidance to her daughter in her training pursuits.

Jackson’s husband Craig is also hands on with their kennel of around six dogs.

Jackson credits her mother's guidance and hours of hard work from her husband for the stunning results her kennel have recorded since she took out her licence about a year and a half ago.

“I could not do it by myself, that is a given,” Jackson said.

“I have had the education from my parents and the help from my husband, he puts his input in as well – which is huge.

“It is fantastic that he is on board for this journey as well and so far, it has been a great journey.

“We have had success and to make these Finals, it is amazing to be around this great dogs.

“To even have a runner for me, it is phenomenal.”

After running the second quickest time in last Thursday’s heats, Springtime Jet has been paired with the speediest qualifier, Michael Patterson’s Respectability on Thursday evening. 

The winner of the Golden Ticket receives direct entry into the $300,000 Gold Bullion early next month, which is a headline race of the 2022-23 Golden Greys Summer Carnival.

The NSW visitor – Respectability – will jump from the three alley in Thursday’s match race, which Gatehouse believes will only help Jackson’s hopeful.

“Springtime Jet is a really good chance in this race after drawing inside in this match race, which is a great advantage,” Gatehouse said.

“He is a fast beginner and I probably cannot see Respectability going around him, so Springtime Jet is in the box seat to grab the Golden Ticket.”

On her Gold Bullion hopeful, Jackson describes Springtime Jet as a “happy dog that loves to run”.

He has an unblemished record from the inside alley at Albion Park, winning on five occasions with the red rug on.

“He likes the one box and he loves the rail,” Jackson said.

“I am just hoping that if he jumps as soon as the lids lift, then he will be on the rails.

“I would prefer him to have the one box instead of the three, because he is a good performer on the rails.

"There is so many great dogs in this Final, we are just over the moon to be involved in such a big race such as this."

2023 Group 3 Golden Ticket match races

Respectability (Box 3) - 29.59 vs Springtime Jet (Box 1) - 29.68

De Ferran (Box 3) - 29.80 vs Shipwreck (Box 1) - 29.91

Jay Is Jay (Box 1) - 30.01 vs Hold Me Up (Box 3) - 30.05

Throttle (Box 1) - 30.09 vs Yahiro Bale (Box 3) - 30.17