Emerging star through to Rockhampton Cup Final

Images supplied by Caught In The Act Photography CQ

By Pat McLeod

Brilliant young Central Queensland chaser More Peaches silenced any doubters with an emphatic win through to the $112,500 Rockhampton Cup Final (510m) via Wednesday night’s Rockhampton Wildcard.

“Tonight she (More Peaches) showed that she's got more ability than just beating bush dogs,” trainer Michael Boody said of his Sennachie - New Abode prodigy, who took her record to six from six.

More Peaches, who is yet to turn two, showed her strength and tenacity, first of all overcoming a lightning start by Christine Pollard’s Five Putt Cal and then keeping quality, experienced campaigner Dixie Gambles (Ken Boody) into second place.

Clint Thompson’s Skill Set was third.

The win in the $24,000 Rockhampton Wildcard final (510 metres) ensures the youngster a place in the cup final scheduled for Friday, April 28.

However, Boody knows some of the nation’s best have been attracted by the $75,000-to-the-winner cup booty.

“Michael Zammit is bringing Jay Is Jay, so nobody is sitting here thinking they are going to win this race,” he said.

“Jay Is Jay is the Albion Park (520m) record holder. If somebody thinks they can beat him on any given day...he is the dog to beat for everyone.

“More Peaches’ best chance is that it knows the track and hey, she is only a baby and she is coming up against educated, experienced dogs. And the final will be full of very good dogs.

“I am just happy that she has made it and I am not expecting anything now.

"After the cup she can have a couple of weeks rest, if not a month.”

Veteran trainer Boody, who won the Rockhampton/Bundaberg Cup double back in 2005 with Amby’s Love and has run third in the past two Rockhampton Cups, said he wasn’t putting too much expectation on his emerging star.

“We have next year and maybe the year after (to win the local cup),” he said.

“She will probably be an open company Brisbane dog, but we have no intentions of leaving here (Rockhampton). When there is prizemoney, maybe she might travel somewhere.

“She has got the potential to be the best dog I have had. But hey, I have another litter out of her mother behind her, which I think might come through and kick everyone’s bums.

“We are not resting here. We are just starting.”

Rockhampton club president Nev Jackson praised the Wildcard concept, now in its second year.

“The Wildcard ticks a lot of boxes,” the experienced greyhound official and trainer said.

“Not only does it ensure a local runner in the local cup, but it also puts a bright spotlight on the locals.

“The prizemoney on offer now is amazing, incredible, but what it has created is a lot more outside interest in our premier race. So, you could easily have a situation where there is no local runner in the Rockhampton Cup.

“The wildcard ensures that this will never happen. But what you are also seeing, with the increased prizemoney across the board, is a general increase in the quality of greyhounds racing in all country regions.

“So, when cup time comes around and the major metropolitan kennels come here chasing prizemoney such as the $75,000 to the winner for this cup, what they find is that we are no longer the easybeats.

“To win the major cup at Bundaberg, Rockhampton or Townsville is a tough assignment.

“You will see that when the cup heats are held (on Friday, April 21) and I predict up to six quality heats, with a lot of high profile visitors and also plenty of very talented local chasers.

“I would not be surprised to see at least three locals in the final.”