By Pat McLeod
The message from the regions is loud and clear to Queensland country ‘Old Boy’ Ned Snow – ‘the gloves are off’ in Friday night’s $112,525 Group 3 Rockhampton Cup Final over 510 metres.
Snow is a country boy at heart, born and bred near Innisfail in the state’s Far North.
However, these days he is a highly successful city trainer with his kennels not far from the new Greater Brisbane Greyhound Centre at Purga, near Ipswich.
Snow still has close links with his country cousins, including Rockhampton’s Mick and Amber Boody.
And, the friendly sledging has already begun leading into the $75,000-to-the-winner Cup.
Snow has two big names in the Final, litter brothers Come On Aussie (box one) and Shipwreck (box three). Mick and Amber have the sizzling, young home-town favourite, More Peaches, jumping out of box eight.
Their nephew, Ken Boody, also based at Rockhampton, has the quick beginner Ring Me jumping from box two.
Snow sent his kennel lieutenants, daughter Tanya Snow and Dave Eisel, and his two runners, up to Rockhampton for last Friday night’s heats.
When asked about his opinion of the unbeaten More Peaches, who won the Wildcard entry into the Cup, Snow chuckled and said: “I know Amber and Mick really well. When I won the Vince Curry with Shipwreck in 2022 she and Mick sent me through a congratulations.
“On Friday night Amber said to Tanya, ‘You make sure you tell Ned that the boxing gloves are off next Friday. All friendships are out the window’.”
Snow rates both the Boody dogs.
“The eight will probably suit More Peaches because it does go well early and the same with Ring Me. It just depends on the running. How the race pans out,” Snow said.
“The track will play a big part in this Final. I think you have to be up running one, two or three or else you are gone.
“It all depends on the first turn. Whoever gets there first without trouble. That first turn will decide a lot.
“If you are out and leading, you are a far better chance than if you are not.”
Of Snow’s two runners, Shipwreck, a seasoned Group level performer, has the higher profile, and bigger bank balance - $219,505, compared to Come On Aussie’s $99,075.
However, Snow has always maintained that from when they were young pups little has separated them as far as ability is concerned.
“All along I have said that there hasn't been much between them,” he said. “Shipwreck has had the breaks whereas the other bloke hasn't.
“I slipped them the other day on a real heavy track and Shipwreck just edged Come On Aussie. There is not a lot between them.
“I think they are both drawn well and I think they will both be in the finish.”
Shipwreck did put one paw on the Cup, with the fastest heat time of 29.68 seconds. The other heats were won by Locked On Scotch (trained by John Catton) 29.76; Ring Me (Ken Boody) 30.01; Bro’s Girl (John White) 30.15; and It’s A Roo (Tony Zammit) 30.20.
The Box draw for the Group 3 Rockhampton Cup Final is: 1. Come On Aussie (Ned Snow); 2. Ring Me (Ken Boody); 3. Shipwreck (Ned Snow); 4. Bro’s Girl (John White); 5. It’s A Roo (Tony Zammit); 6. Adulate (Tony Zammit); 7. Locked On Scotch (John Catton); 8. More Peaches (Michael Boody). Res: 9. Bank Heist (Dallas Beckett); 10. Keen (Brent Kline).