More Peaches' owner dreaming of Rockhampton Cup success

By Jordan Gerrans

On the verge of retirement from the workforce, Brisbane’s Michelle Luhrs is eager to top up her superannuation fund in Friday’s Rockhampton Cup Final.

Luhrs is enjoying a dream ride with exciting young greyhound More Peaches.

The blue bitch boasts an unblemished career record so far – winning all six of her trips to the races – and will be aiming to claim the Group 3 Cup in Central Queensland under lights on Friday evening.

Living and working in Brisbane’s north, Luhrs travelled north to the “Beef City” on Thursday for the big $112,525 contest.

Luhrs is the sister of More Peaches’ trainer Michael Boody.

While she has owned a number of chasers with the kennel in recent years, none have had the immediate success More Peaches has, on top of the potential to pursue higher honours later in her career.

“I am going to retire this year and hopefully Peaches can help me get there a little bit quicker if she wins on Friday night,” Luhrs said with a laugh about her job at a school.

“The winning prize money would look nice in the super fund.”

More Peaches is the stand out star of a Sennachie and New Abode litter, leading the way for prize money and victories from the five strong litter.

Luhrs raced New Abode from 2016 until 2018 and she always had high hopes of her prospects as a brood bitch.

New Abode won 12 from 54 career starts and was effective over the shorter trips around South East Queensland and up to Bundaberg.

The Boody name is synonymous with greyhound racing in the Sunshine State and while Luhrs has always followed the code closely, she admits she is not as entrenched in the game as her brother Michael or nephew Ken.

So, when it comes to the litters with New Abode, Luhrs lets her brother sort it all out and he has not let her down yet.

“She has produced three litters for us and is going really good,” Luhrs said.

“I listen to Mick a bit as he has been in the game for many years – a lot longer than me – and he tends to have an eye for this breeding stuff.

“All the dogs I have had with him, I have not been led astray.

“They have produced really good pups, well, the majority of them, anyway.”

As well as More Peaches and New Abode, Luhrs has also raced dogs such as Day Time Friend and Night Time Lover over the years.

Day Time Friend and Night Time Lover combined to win 25 races.

Day Time Friend, New Abode and Night Time Lover are all from the same Lochinvar Marlow and Ponzie Scheme litter.

New Abode is also the mother of fellow kennel star Love You Peaches, who has 26 victories to her name. 

Experienced dog man Michael had lofty ambitions from an early age for More Peaches, who won on debut in the first month of this year and has not been beaten since.

“This one should go pretty good Michelle,” Luhrs recalls Michael saying to her about her new dog.

“She is going to be quite special, I think, she is already proving herself, anyway.”

More Peaches has been handed the pink rug for Friday’s Final, a draw which the Boody kennel has branded as a “big blow” and a “horror draw”.

Luhrs is not as disappointed with the outside draw as her star bitch has won from the eight earlier in her career at the Callaghan Park track.

“I believe she will be the fastest out of the box and if she can get away and cross, then she will be good,” she said.

More Peaches bypassed the heats of the Rockhampton Cup by claiming the Rockhampton Wildcard Final for locally prepared dogs earlier this month.

In doing so, she completed the 510 metre circuit in 29.87 seconds, which is good enough to be the third fastest qualifying time for the Cup Final.

“She has all the goods in her, I believe,” Luhrs said.

“She is a good little runner and do not worry, she will be trying her heart out on Friday night for sure.

“I couldn’t be happier. It is all exciting.”

Ned Snow’s Shipwreck was the fastest through the heats in 29.68 seconds. 

Following Friday’s Rockhampton Cup, Luhrs says she will sit down with her brother and map out a plan for More Peaches, which could include heading to South East Queensland.

If More Peaches cannot win the prize on Friday night, Luhrs hopes Ken Boody’s Ring Me can bring the spoils home for the family.