Trainer’s pair are the age bookends of QGOLD finals night

By Pat McLeod

Emerging trainer Daniel Lee has bookended next Thursday night’s QGOLD features finals night at Albion Park winning through with greyhounds at the opposite ends of the age spectrum.

Lee, who is based about half an hour’s drive south of the Ipswich track, will contest the QGOLD Rookies (520m) with Willow’s Gift and also the QGOLD Veterans (520m) with Mystic Cora.

Both dogs won through the heats stage of those races at Albion Park on Wednesday.

Willow’s Gift powered home in 30.40 to outgun Digital Sea (Jemma Daley) by a length with Comical Bill (Travis Elson) third.

Meanwhile in the veterans’ encounter, Mystic Cora won impressively by four lengths in 30.26 ahead of Ruby’s Angel (Michael Edwards) and Some Idea (John Quarman).

Lee, 59, has been racing greyhounds since he was 18, but only moved into the sport on a full-time basis in September last year.

He and wife Jo-Ann are on a 40-acre property they have owned for about 30 years.

“I was a heavy industrial electrician, but decided to give that away late last year and am now doing the dogs full time,” he explains.

“We had so many litters coming through and I got to the situation financially that I did not have to work, and someone told me years ago that if you can ever retire financially do it.

“None of us know where the end of the string is.”

Lee says that while he never takes a dog to a track to finish at the back end of the field, both of his chasers face a tough task to salute on finals night.

Willows Gift (Sennachie - Run With Faith) has begun his race career well with two wins and two thirds from just four outings, but Lee says he still has a lot to learn, especially exiting the boxes.

“He will be struggling next Thursday, simply because he doesn't get out of the box,” he said.

“There are some very well-educated dogs in the final who can run in the 30.10s. My bloke does work hard around the outside, but he will be back in the field.

"Unless he draws a very good box to level up he won't be in the first four or five at the winning post the first time.

“The 520 metres will be the shortest he will race, but I want him to win as many races as possible at this distance because it is very hard to step them back down when you have stepped them up in distance.

“He has loads of ability. He will be a very handy dog.”

There were four heats of the QGOLD Rookies scheduled for Albion Park’s twilight meeting, however one of those was declared a no race.

The other two were won by Hara’s Cookie (Jemma Daley) in 30.24 and Cyndie Elson’s Obliging Travis (30.15).

Despite being four years and three months of age Mystic Cora is lightly raced with 38 starts.

“She has had some injuries over the time and is missing a toe on her front foot, completely removed up to the second joint,” Lee said.

“But she is still racing well. Her PB for the 520m up until today was 30.14 and she has just run 30.26, which shows she is still running within a couple of lengths of her best.

“As far as the final goes, as I always say to people, dogs don't get into the final by accident,” Lee said.

“She will always put herself in the race, because she has that good first split. However the last 20 metres over the 520 metres finds her out a little bit.

“If the dog that ran the fast time tonight (Hopeful Bella – Cyndie Elson – 30.06) draws badly or misses the kick, then we are a good chance.

“That was Mystic Cora’s third run in from a four-month break. She has had three good, hard 520 metre races so what you see next week will be probably as good as she can go.”

The third veterans’ heat was won by Kevin Kemp’s Human Touch in 30.62.

Further QGOLD heats will be held on Thursday night and Sunday at Albion Park.

There will be nine QGOLD finals at ‘The Creek’ on Thursday, May 25.

Lee owns and trains the successful Nando Dreamer (69 starts: 24-11-10 for $140,270 in prizemoney).

He said his wife Jo-Ann made one of her rare track visits to Ipswich when Nando Dreamer won a Young Guns there.

“I hope she will be able to make it to Albion for these finals,” he said.

“She is a massive part of our operation, does so much of the work. I feel guilty going to the races while she stays home to feed all the other dogs.

“When Nando Dreamer won the Young Guns I invited her down from the stands. She is a humble person who deserves the accolades.”