Star Sunshine State dogs to descend on Dubbo

By Jordan Gerrans

A glut of talented Queensland greyhounds head south to Dubbo for the rich Country Classic series on Saturday but Robert Ayres’ Book Of Love will not be one of those.

The impressive Albion Park winner on Thursday evening - Book Of Love – was set to contest the second of four semi-finals for the GRNSW Country Classic series after running fourth at Grafton in the heats late last month.

But, after pulling up a little sore from her 600 metre triumph on Thursday night at Albion Park, the Glass House Mountains-based dog man has opted to take the cautious approach with his emerging stayer.

Ned Snow’s Pocket Money from his star-studded litter will carry Queensland’s hopes in the second semi-final on Saturday night with Book Of Love to be scratched.

Ayres was confident Book Of Love could back up from racing on Thursday evening again on Saturday before noticing the minor niggle.

“It would have been a big ask to go down after racing on Thursday night but I do not want to risk the dog,” Ayres said.

“When I got home on Thursday night I noticed she was a little proppy in her leg.

“The vet went over her and found a bit of a niggle in her shoulder.

“She is a valuable dog and when you get good dogs, you need to look after them.”

The black bitch put away the small field with ease at Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club on Thursday, scoring in a sharp 34.92 seconds by half a dozen lengths.

Ayres – who also owns the bitch – believes she will mature into a nice stayer.

“The longer it goes the better she will go,” he said.

“I will set her for longer races later on.

“I think she has the potential to be a great 700 metre dog, that is what I am looking towards.”

As much as $6 was bet about Book Of Love on Thursday evening before she was backed into $1.80 and she did not let her loyal followers down.

The four-time career winner appreciated the inside draw, her trainer thinks.

“She is going to be a very good dog, well, she is a very good dog,” he said.

“She has been looking for the rails.

“Every time she has been in a race she has drawn four or something like that and has not been able to get a bit of space.”

Book Of Love qualified for the Country Classic series by running fourth at Grafton last month, with Snow’s trio of dogs beating her home.

Snow’s star brothers have been spread out across the races on Saturday evening, Pocket Money in the second followed by Shipwreck in the third and Come On Aussie jumping from the red in the final semi-final.

Shipwreck run a track record of 38 seconds at Grafton in the heats, which was held since April of 2022 by his litter brother Pocket Money.

The Jedda Cutlack-trained Shaye claimed a heat of the series at The Gardens earlier this month in 34.65 seconds.

Shaye will begin alongside Come On Aussie in the fourth semi-final on Saturday.

Shaye’s kennel mate Sorority will race with the white rug on in the opening semi-final after finishing third in her heat.

From the four semi-finals, eight make it through to the $125,000 to the winner Final at Dubbo later this month.