Belford fights through a battle of a lifetime

By Jordan Gerrans

If not for his beloved kennel of greyhounds, Jackie Belford does not know where her husband Bradley would be today.

The leading dog man in North Queensland put the polish on a career-best season in 2022, preparing 188 winners that smashed his previous high mark.

Bradley did so while fighting the battle of his life – cancer.

The long-time respected industry participant was diagnosed with cancer in his throat and through his struggles, he lost significant weight and at times felt like he did not want to get off the couch every morning.

But, a bustling kennel full of fit and healthy greyhounds were his saving grace, Jackie believes.

After decades in the sport to prepare a career-best tally of victories under regular circumstances is a milestone to be celebrated.

And, to do so while fighting cancer, Jackie says it fills her with pride to watch her husband continue to succeed on the track.

“It is a pretty special achievement as when he was at his sickest, I got a licence so I could give him a hand at the track handling dogs,” Jackie said.

“I think it is the dogs that kept him going and I do not know where he would be if he did not have the dogs to do every day.

“The dogs gave him a purpose every day.”

Bradley is not completely out of the woods from a health perspective but things are looking positive.

In his last visit to the doctors, he was informed that they did not want to see him for another three months.

So for the affable dog man, he reckons that is a win.

Looking back on his health struggles, Bradley thinks he did not realise how sick he was at the time.

“It is something that I never thought about, you look back on it now, but I just put one foot in front of the other after getting up every morning,” the trainer said.

“I did not realise how crook as I was at a point so I just kept going. There was some times I did not want to be there and it was cold, it was tough at those times.

“You do not realise how much it knocks you around.”

With Bradley facing the battle of his life, Jackie became more hands on with the dogs to fill the void as Bradley could not complete as much physical work with the chasers as he could in years gone by.

The Belfords have been married for more than 30 years and in the years previous, Jackie was more so an interested onlooker with the team of dogs instead of being an active participant.

Just a few months on from first getting involved in a physical way, Jackie’s outlook has completely changed with the greyhounds.

She has her own kennel block and admits to giving the dogs many more kisses and hugs than they had before Bradley’s diagnosis.

While the couple have a couple of helpers on race day to help manage the load with all their dogs, the Belfords effectively prepare a team of over 40 dogs in work from their Rangewood kennel alone.

As well as the 40 race dogs, they also have several brood bitches and pups.

“I could not have done it without Jackie’s help,” Bradley said.

”I went to every race meeting, I never missed one.

“If you got up in the morning and had purpose and had things to do with the dogs, that kept your mind on the job.”

Bradley has most certainly got more of a spring in his step in recent months.

He has regained much of the weight he had lost and is smiling to not have to go back at see the doctors for the next three months.

“I am feeling a lot better and slowly but surely I am getting back to myself,” he said.

“It is tougher getting back than during as you do not realise how bad it is at the time as you are trying to keep going.

“We are lucky I have come good because there is a lot of people that do not get through it.”

The Belfords' bid for a Townsville Cup crown starts this Friday evening when they have two kennel stars front up in heats of the popular series.

After initially thinking they will have a trio of hopefuls in the heats, it will be Pretty Cindy and Winlock All Over flying the flag with Jupiter set to target another race.

The Group 3 Townsville Cup will be run for $75,000 on August 25 with the quickest dogs from the heats progressing to the decider seven days later.

“Pretty Cindy is very good early and generally she is faultless early so if you get in front, that always gives you a rough chance all the time,” Bradley said.

“Pretty Cindy cannot run fast time but she can gallop ok.

“Winlock All Over is coming back from an injury and is on the improve but she is no superstar.

“The aim is to get one in the Final always so we will see how we go on Friday evening.”

Pretty Cindy has drawn the green rug in the last of the five heats while kennel mate Winlock All Over begins from the seven in the second heat. 

Jupiter was set to also tackle the heats but will now be set for a race over 643 metres on Friday evening, which is a heat of the Stayers Challenge. 

Jupiter will jump from the two alley. 

“Jupiter is the up and comer of the kennel,” Bradley said.

On his mark of 188 winners last year, Bradley is keen to go further and crack the 200 milestone in 2023.

The kennel has been aided by a few big nights where they have trained seven or six winners at one meeting alone.  

As of Thursday morning, he has 125 victories to his name and is looking every chance of beating last year’s career best tally.