Litter brothers in hunt for Ipswich Corporate Dollars Challenge

By Jordan Gerrans

Once his litter brothers began to near their second birthday, trainer Grant Franklin says Get Carter and Bernie Boom have just gone “bang”.

And, they have come of age at the perfect time.

Holding a trainer's licence for almost 15 years in the Sunshine State, Franklin has declared he has never had the quality of Get Carter and Bernie Boom in his kennel before.

He is savouring the moment to have a couple of promising chasers in his team, as well. 

The brothers – from a Bernardo and Abby Boom litter – have both qualified for Saturday’s Final of the Ipswich Corporate Dollars Challenge for 2023.

Get Carter was a heat winner in 30.60 seconds last week over the 520 metre trip while Bernie Boom was forced to settle for second in 30.67 seconds behind All Natural.

With the brothers turning two years of age on the 28^th of last month, Franklin – who also owns the dogs – thinks that is when they have begun to show their true potential.

Get Carter is a winner of three of his last five race starts while Bernie Boom has only finished outside the top two on one occasion in his last five efforts.

Following the Ipswich Corporate Dollars Challenge, Franklin is thinking big with his dynamic duo.

“They have gone really well over the last couple of months after turning two at the end of January,” he said.

“I am hoping to get a Derby into them or something like that soon, or a Young Guns, if they are still eligible.

“They are starting to get a bit more competitive now.”

They both have recently ticked over the $20,000 mark in career earnings and look to have much more left in them.

Bernie Boom was not seen at the races from late September until the middle of December last year.

Franklin says the fawn dog came back much stronger following his time off, which has aided his recent rise.

Franklin bred the litter alongside fellow trainer Peter O'Reilly, who also prepares a number of the dogs from the mating.

All seven that have made it to the race track are already winners, with Franklin’s pair leading the way with a combined 12 victories.

“I think my two have gone on with it a bit better,” he said.

“They have all sort of gone ok but as they have just come up to two-years-old, they have just gone bang.

“I have not had a lot of quality dogs like other people have and now I have a bit more quality with these two.

“It has been a good little ride with them at the moment.

“It has been really good and I am enjoying it, as well.”

The $18,500 Final on Saturday night has a dog paired up with a corporate sponsor of the Ipswich club.

The winning corporate sponsor gets naming rights to the Ipswich winning post for the next 12 months.

Get Carter has drawn the four alley for Saturday’s decider with Bernie Boom beginning from the seven.

“Carter, the box draws do not really matter to him, he can try beat them down the home straight if he is close enough,” the veteran trainer said.

“The other one is the exact opposite, he will need to lead.

“Out of seven he is probably disadvantaged a little bit because I am sure there will be a bit of speed everywhere.

“I would rather have seen Bernie Boom in box one to keep him on the rail, he loves the rail and getting out in front.

“Bernie has been able to improve a lot in that last section, which has really helped his times.”

The Ipswich Corporate Dollars Challenge is the eighth event of a 12 race program from the Ipswich Showgrounds on Saturday evening.