Jay Is Jay jets back with the Nationals now in his direct flight path

By Pat McLeod

The voice of greyhound racing in Queensland, John ‘Bunny’ Brasch, made the announcement loud and clear at Albion Park on Thursday night: “He is back.”

With that, the state’s number one sprinter, Jay Is Jay, not only cruised to victory in his first race outing in five weeks, but also clearly put a target on the Nationals sprint crown at The Meadows on August 26.

“It is great to have the dog back,” relieved trainer Selena Zammit said. 

Jay Is Jay is her ‘favourite dog ever’.

He out gunned second-placed Get Carter (trained by Grant Franklin) by six-and-a-half lengths in a respectable 29.83 seconds. 

Gary Mackay’s Fernando Grand was third, in what was the second of two heats of the Queensland National Sprint over 520 metres. 

The top four placings from each of the heats will contest next Thursday night’s Final, with the winner going through to represent Queensland in the sprint Final at the Nationals.

“He is not at his best yet, but hopefully will be over the next couple of weeks,” Zammit said. 

“We were a little worried going into tonight's race that he would be a little bit underdone.

“But, we knew that we had to put him in, and with just the two heats, we thought even if he ran fourth he would make it through.”

The Sennachie – Kealoah speedster, whose prize money tally sits at just under $300,000 from 27 starts, was sidelined after placing fifth in a heat of the Group 1 Brisbane Cup at 'The Creek' on June 29.

The concern for Selena and husband Mick Zammit, was several lacerations suffered in that race.

But, with Thursday night’s indicator that the dog is close to his best, the Zammits’ plan for an assault on a highly valued Nationals sprint crown is well and truly on track.

“We have won state Finals before, but have never won the Nationals,” Selena said of the couple’s packed trophy cabinet.

“The Nationals do hold special significance for both Michael and I.

“You want to represent your state and hopefully win the title for your state. It is great to win any race, but when it is the Nationals we want to be there and stamp it that we have the best dog in the country or at least try.

“So, to win the Nationals would be special for the entire family, especially with the dog being named after my dad (the late Jeff Jones) and turning out to be such a great dog. Although, he is already special to all the family.”

While Jay Is Jay put on a master-class in textbook sprinting, Travis Elson’s Bear’s Bullet gave all a lesson in pure tenacity in the first of the Queensland sprint heats.

“She is tough. She had plenty of attention the whole way around,” Elson marvelled.

Bear’s Bullet lasted to win by half a length ahead of the Zammits’ All Natural in 30.29 seconds, with David Fitzgerald’s Rolling Empire third.

“She just keeps trying," Elson said. 

“She is just a very good little chaser. When she doesn't win, she runs a place.

“She's not the fastest dog that I have had, but she's the most honest that I have had for a long time.”

Originally Elson had both Bear’s Bullet and Hello Mike ear-marked for the $75,000-to-the-winner Townsville Cup later this month, but made a last minute change to include Bear’s Bullet in Thursday night’s heats.

“I thought that I would have a go (at the state heats) and if she was to win next week then of course we would go to the Nationals,” he said.

“You don't knock back going into a Group 1 race, a straight-out race for that sort of money.

“If we don't make the Nationals then it will be off to Townsville.”

The box draw for next Thursday night’s Final will be held on Monday.

In an exciting preview of next week’s State distance Final, the wondrous ‘White Wonder’, Days Of Thunder, re-submitted her curriculum vitae for the state’s top crown over 710 metres on Thursday night.

There are no heats for the state distance Final, but Days Of Thunder, typically, sizzled home to win by a half head in a field that included plenty that will context next week’s Final.

Days Of Thunder represented Queensland at last year’s Nationals, finishing seventh over Wentworth Park’s 720 metres. 

Trainer Warren Nicholls believes his veteran Fernando Bale - Melissa's Pride bitch is still close to her best.

“Well, that was just super,” Nicholls said.

Days Of Thunder recorded a narrow win over John Catton’s very promising Locked on Scotch, with Bogie Hurricane (Ryan Ayre) third.

“She got the break at the end. I actually did not think she got there,” Nicholls said.

“Her race pattern, getting back at the start, means that she can be frustrating, but she is an exciting dog to race.

“She is still very keen to work. It was only a few weeks ago that she ran her equal best time. I don't think she is very far off her best, at all.”

Of special interest to Nicholls, and plenty of other race fans, was a trial on Thursday night by Tony Zammit’s emerging distance chaser Valpolicella.

Zammit was ‘very happy’ with the result, a 42.01 second run, after a tardy start.

“I will nominate her for the 710 metre at Albion next Thursday and see what happens,” Tony said.