Gold times ahead for trainer Sean Galloway

By Jordan Gerrans

Sean Galloway heads to Albion Park on Thursday night believing he has the strongest hand of greyhounds entered that he ever has in his time in the sport.

The Tamborine-based trainer has four “Springtime” runners set for the feature QGOLD heats on Thursday evening.

Following its highly successful introduction throughout the summer, the QGOLD feature night will make its debut in the winter on May 25, with $250,000 up for grabs over nine events. 

Three of the four Springtime dogs – Rose, Storm and Jet – were previously prepared by Sharyn Jackson but have since been transferred into the care of Galloway.

Springtime Gold last raced under the banner of owner and trainer Jean Hose late last year before landing with Galloway in 2023.

Former trainer Hose owns all four of the Springtime dogs that will feature on Thursday night.

Rose and Gold will contest a heat of the QGOLD Listed Winter Chase over 600 metres while Storm and Jet are in the Winter Sprint heats over 520 metres, which will also be run at Listed level come Final time.

Conditioner Galloway was over the moon to pick up the quartet of top greyhounds for his small kennel.

“These are the best dogs I have had,” Galloway said.

“Myona Morpheus was a good dog for me five or six years ago.

“He never broke 30 seconds around Albion Park over 520 metres but these are the best four dogs I have had, so far.”

The now retired Myona Morpheus won eight of 97 career starts but was always around the money, running in the top three another 34 times across his career.

Springtime Jet has enjoyed a stellar past year of racing, making the Final of the Listed Queensland Flame, placing third in the Listed QGOLD Summer Sprint as well as contesting the Group 3 Golden Ticket in the first month of 2023.

While the four Springtime dogs will be prominent in many black-type heats going forward, Galloway is particularly excited by the next generation, as well.

The four dogs are from the same Fernando Bale and Spring Time Girl litter, with Galloway preparing the next Spring Time Girl crop, which is from former Western Australian champion dog Tommy Shelby.

“They are eight months old,” he said of the new litter.

“So, hopefully they are just as good. The future looks good.”

The litter mates will contest consecutive races on Thursday night: Rose (race five from box six), Gold (race six from box one), Storm (race seven from box three) and Jet (race eight from box eight).

“I would have preferred better boxes with three of them,” Galloway said.

“They are all going ok, otherwise they would not be racing.

“I have done all I can do and it is up to the dogs from here. They are very hard fields on Thursday night.”

Kennel star Springtime Jet rattled off a handful of victories on the trot through February, March and April but the black dog has not figured in the finish in his last three efforts, including a trip to Central Queensland for a heat of the Rockhampton Cup.

He begins from the outside alley on Thursday.

“Hopefully the Jet can jump well on Thursday night,” the trainer said.

There will also be heats of the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters on Thursday before the Winter Chase and Sprint heats.

QGOLD – a concept for Queensland-bred greyhounds – is a series of racing many trainers support and back, including Galloway.

“It is great,” he said.

“It is a good idea and a chance for different people to earn a bit of money.”