Rookie greyhound trainer guided by respected figures

By Jordan Gerrans

Rookie greyhound trainer Jedd Naum has been able to call on a few legends of the industry on his path towards his maiden victory.

After first starting a greyhound in a race late last year, the fledging Naum kennel nabbed their first winner on Wednesday of this week at dog headquarters in the Sunshine State.

It was NSW-based dog man Greg Hore who first gave Naum the taste of the industry, before his journey has been nurtured by champions of the code such as Mick Zammit, Bob Giltinan and the Cauchi family, among others. 

“They have all helped me to get me where I am today with the dogs,” Naum said.

“Many of them got in contact with me and congratulated me after the first win.

"They have been great mentors."

The rookie trainer first started a dog in a race late last year.

He kicked off with veteran tried greyhound Perfect Skipper, who despite running in the money on a few occasions, the black bitch could not score a victory under the Naum banner.

Cosmic Camper has hit the ground running for the Naum kennel, being placed at his first three race starts, before breaking through at his fifth opportunity.

The maiden triumph for Naum and Cosmic Camper came at Albion Park on Wednesday of this week.

From a Bernardo and Cosmic Capers litter, Cosmic Caper’s form over the 395 metre trip at Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club shows that he might have a bright future.

The black dog scored in 22.88 seconds – with the winning margin almost two lengths – on Wednesday.

Cosmic Camper now progresses through to the Final of the maiden series this coming Wednesday.

“It was really good and I was really happy with it,” Naum said of the first victory.

“He has been busting for an inside draw but he has shown good box speed on a lot of occasions.

“Hopefully in this Final on Wednesday night he can get a good draw.”

After being involved in the harness racing game for many years, Naum is a relative newcomer to the ‘hounds’.

Originally from Brisbane, he relocated to Goulburn to work with the pacers and trotters at the Brad Hewitt stable.

That is where he first came across Hore who lived next door and was a greyhound man through and through.

The 27-year-old got involved in ownership with Hore’s dogs and eventually decided to get a few of his own.

The young trainer has just added another dog to his kennel, with Radiation to go up the straight at Capalaba on Sunday.

Radiation previously did his racing for trainer Glen Goodwin in NSW and has recorded 19 victories from his 66 career starts, with 26 other minor placings.

The Edens Landing-based conditioner is keen to take on more dogs and expand his kennel in the coming months.

He thinks Radiation should be competitive in Queensland.

“It is a hard race for his first-up run for me,” Naum said.

“He comes up with a good record.”

While dabbling in the greyhounds of late, Naum is still heavily involved in the harness game.

He works a couple of days a week for leading trainer and driver Shane Graham as well as giving respected horse breaker Jason Carkeet a hand.

“It is different doing the harness horses to the dogs but I am enjoying it,” he said.

“It is less physical work with the dogs.”

In another milestone at Albion Park on Wednesday evening, the kennel of Cynthia Elson brought up her 100^th victory of the season with Double Up Bill.