Selena and Mick have three-pronged attack on Ipswich Young Guns

By Pat McLeod

Premier trainers Selena and Mick Zammit are eyeing off another juicy Ipswich Young Guns crown with three chances in Saturday night’s 520 metre Final, including the ‘reigning champion’.

In March this year Another Chance, who will line up again in Saturday’s Final, won at the same track, distance and race category and the Zammits pocketed the same first prize that is on offer this time around - $30,000.

Interestingly, Mick Zammit favours his other two runners, Inevitable and Brimstone, for this version of the Young Guns.

“We have got three good chances,” Mick said.

“You never know what will happen, but I am happy with how all three are going.

“Even though they are all drawn badly (Inevitable in the five, Another Chance six, Brimstone seven), I wouldn't be surprised if one of them won on Saturday night. If I had to make a choice about our best chances, I would say Brimstone and Inevitable would be slightly ahead.

“Inevitable, he is the oldest dog in this Young Gun series, just squeezing in. His run in the heat was his first start in about three months, so I was very happy with his return to the track."

Mick said Inevitable was fit, but still needed a good hard run.

“I was very impressed with that run. I was also happy with Brimstone's run. The way he came off the pace. It was a good gutsy run," Mick said. 

“But, this is a very strong field. I tend to not put too much emphasis on one race. A race is a race. Win or lose, after Saturday, they will be in somewhere else, all going well. I don't dwell on things too much. No race is the be-all and end-all. It is just racing.”

Mick is correct about the quality of Saturday night’s Young Guns Final.

In the red box is the track record holder for the 520 metres at Ipswich, Ray Burman’s Blue Hornet.

Coming out of the three alley is Greg Stella’s Magistrate, who was a major surprise packet during the recent 2023 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival with a win in the Group 3 Origin Greyhound Series sprint and a third in the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic.

Magistrate has also won both versions – 431 metres and 520 metres – of this year’s Ipswich Auction Series.

With the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival now a quickly receding blur, Mick says he is very happy with how his kennel is shaping.

Kennel star, Jay Is Jay ($283,710 in prize money from 26 race starts) is expected to be back racing in a couple of weeks after receiving several lacerations in his last outing, a heat of the Group 1 Brisbane Cup at Albion Park on June 29.

Jay Is Jay’s next major target will be the Nationals (Queensland heats on August 3) and the Million Dollar Chase, with heats starting August 30.

As Mick explains, their kennel boasts depth in quality at the moment.

With space for 10 race dogs, Mick and Selena currently have filled nine of those spots, which is more then they prefer.

“I prefer to have fewer than that,” Mick said. 

“That is just the way things have panned out at the moment. I probably prefer to have six or seven in work, but that is just the circumstances at the moment.

“We are normally more comfortable with a few less. At the moment we are blessed with a very handy team. I would have to say that, on performances, Inevitable is probably the next ranked dog after Jay Is Jay.

“He was out for a lengthy spell with a toe injury. He has run 29.66 seconds around Albion Park and actually won his last two starts at Albion before we took him to Bundaberg and Rockhampton. He is a pretty good dog. It'll be interesting to see where he can get because he can ping.

“The same can be said for Brimstone, as far as the future goes. He is very promising. We also have Brimstone's sister Icy Eyes, who also has potential.”

The Zammits picked up a Thursday night win at Albion Park with Cluster in a fifth grade race over 520 metres.

The Ipswich program on Saturday night also includes the Ipswich Grand Prix Final over 732 metres and the Past Members Final over 288 metres.