‘King of Capalaba’ faces rocky road to Nationals straight track crown

By Pat McLeod

He may be dubbed the ‘King of Capalaba’, but trainer Christopher Brydon is far from confident with his three chances in Sunday’s two heats of the Queensland Straight Track Championship. 

Brydon, based west of Ipswich, at Churchable, has the very promising We’re On One (box six) in the first heat, and then fastest heat runner Aston Serpens (box six) and track favourite, Coonamble Kid, (box eight) in the second heat.

The top four from each heat will go through to the Queensland Straight Track Final the following Sunday to decide the Queensland representative to contest the national Final at Healesville on August 26.

“I am not confident at all,” was Brydon’s blunt appraisal of his heat chances.

“The draw is terrible for We’re On One. He wants the inside.

“Coonamble Kid is going very well at the moment, but six months ago the outside box would have been perfect for him. He used to stay out wide and I would have been stoked with that draw.

“However, in the last few months he has changed his racing pattern and now wants to come to the inside. Even when I trial him by himself he comes to the inside. So, he is not drawn well either.”

Brydon also says Aston Serpens’ cracking time of 19.35 seconds, run in late April, should not be weighed heavily on.

“He (Aston Serpens) is drawn OK, but I just don't think he is going very well at the moment," the trainer said. 

“He is approaching four-years-old and his best is behind him. I don't really give him much hope on Sunday. The 19.35 seconds that he ran a few months ago was heavily wind assisted. He had a cyclone behind him. He has never gone near that in a trial or in another race.

“I don't think it is a run that you can take too much notice of.”

Brydon says he is hopeful that both We’re On One and Coonamble Kid can defy their draws, get in a top four finishing position and draw better in the final.

“I would be stoked if that happened,” he said.

“I think they would be very good chances in the Final, from the inside. Coonamble Kid is still going very well. I trialled him at the track a week ago and he equalled the best that he has ever gone.

“So, he is definitely going well, but it just depends on how he jumps. He has a bad habit at Capalaba of missing the kick and then he will want to come to the inside.

“It just depends if he gets a clear run. That will determine his chances. We’re On One is a good young dog coming through. He has had just the 13 starts and has never finished any worse than second. All his runs have been at Capalaba. He had his first win in top grade last week, so I am happy with the way he is going.

“I don't think there is too much between him and Coonamble Kid. It just depends on the run that they get. The inside box will be the key to the Final for them, if they can make it that far.”

Brydon has no doubt who poses the biggest threat to halting his first appearance at a Nationals.

“As far as I am concerned the big dangers across the two heats are Valhalla (trained by Tom Tzouvelis and starting from box one in the first heat) and Lose Your Cool (Jeff Crawford - box one in heat two)," he said. 

“Valhalla was very impressive last Sunday. I think he is the dog to beat in the series.

“Lose Your Cool, coming out of box one, is also a major danger.

“We’re On One and Lose Your Cool have come up against each other on four occasions and up until last week it was three-nil to Lose Your Cool. So, he has had the wood on us.

“But, we had a change of luck last week and we were able to get one up on him.”

Brydon said We’re On One would stay on the straight track for the immediate future.

“As far as We’re On One goes, we have been targeting the state championship for some time,” he said.

“Then we have the Capalaba Cup in the not-too-distant future. So that is the first two targets and we will worry about progressing onto the circle after that.”

Brydon said he would love to taste the Nationals atmosphere.

“I have never competed at the nationals,” he said.

“I would love the chance to be part of the Nationals at The Meadows. It would be great to have the chance to travel interstate with a decent dog and for very good prize money.”