Added incentive for Jemma Daley to claim the Townsville Cup

By Jordan Gerrans

While the prize money and Group status of the Townsville Cup is incentive enough, Jemma Daley’s double-pronged attack on the feature North Queensland race has extra meaning this week.

The top South East Queensland conditioner is in the northern city after winning two heats of the 2023 Cup on Friday of last week.

The Hara’s pair – Herbie and Skye – have come through their heat runs well and will be leading contenders for the $75,000 prize on Friday night.

While Hara’s Skye and Herbie are raced in Daley’s name as the trainer, much of their preparation and work between races is also completed with Tarquin Neal.

Daley’s partner – Neal – spent many years living in Townsville and cut his teeth in the greyhound code within the local industry.

Daley and Neal train in a partnership. 

Neal made the move from Townsville to Brisbane in recent years to make a fist of a full-time career in greyhounds, following 13 years in the armed forces.

To lift the Townsville Cup of 2023 alongside Neal would be a special moment for Daley.

“He is a massive part of the team, it is very equal and we both bring plenty to the table,” Daley said.

“It seems to gel well together, it is not perfect and sometimes it gets a bit hard but it goes well with these dogs and we just need to keep going.

“Coming to Townsville, these dogs have shown they can travel away and still win, it is a credit to them.”

Neal is a top trainer in his own right and has won feature races including the Group 3 Ipswich Auction Series Final with Sushi Mango in 2021.

He started his training journey in the state’s north before relocating to Brisbane to expand his kennel of dogs and have a crack at training on a full-time basis, as well as looking to enjoy a lifestyle change in South East Queensland.

The Hara’s dogs won the last two of Friday’s five Cup heats from the Showgrounds track.

Skye qualified slightly quicker than her kennel mate in 28.59 seconds.

Skye has returned north this year aiming for a slice of redemption after being the beaten favourite in last year's edition of the Cup.

The fawn bitch was the $2 favourite from the pink alley in the 498 metre feature race in 2022 but was forced to settle for third place.

It was local chaser Redemption Day – who won through the Townsville Wildcard series – that claimed the Cup last year and Daley thinks the result may have been different if Skye had been handed a more favourable draw.

She was beaten eight lengths in the end.

“The box beat her last year, that was the problem,” the trainer said.

“Box eight was her undoing in the Final.

“You can’t take anything away from the winner but if she had drawn closer to the rail then I think it would have been a different result.”

The Daley kennel will not need to contend with Harold Hovi’s Redemption Day this year as the dog will instead contest the Townsville Cup Consolation on Friday night.

Hara’s Herbie was also in the market for the Townsville Cup last year and went on to finish fifth, more than 11 lengths behind Redemption Day.

Daley believes Hara’s Herbie is the leading chance from her team after drawing the three starting position.

“I am looking forward to Friday as they have pulled through their runs really well, they have pulled up nicely,” she said.

“They have had a good week so far and hopefully they can keep ticking over.

“Three is pretty good for Herbie – I am happy with that – and Skye is out in the car park again with the seven.

“Skye has not been showing that speed that she was last year. If she can get to the rail then she should be there abouts. But, obviously, Herbie is boxed well, very well.”