Stayers Challenge set to be hotly contested in North Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

The North Queensland stayers ranks are as jam-packed as they have ever been in close to a decade and local trainer Mark Partland is pleased to see the depth in Friday’s heats of the annual Stayers Challenge.

The Townsville-based conditioner has two chances heading towards the heats of the 643 metre series, which will be a support race on the program for the Townsville Cup next week.

The Stayers Challenge is held every year but the 2023 edition will be the first time ever heats will be run for the event, such is the strength in the Townsville staying contingent at the moment.

While some of the heat runners are visitors from South East Queensland, the bulk of the dogs spread across the two heats are based and raced in the northern city.

NQ dog man Partland thinks it is important for the local industry to have races for the sprinters as well as the distance greyhounds.

“It is good to see there is two heats for this race as it is hard to program 643 metre races at times,” he said.

“It can be tough for people with a 643 metre dog that is not getting a start. Some of these dogs are untried over 643 metres and have just trialled at this stage.

“But, it is good to see a few dogs in. We are trying to encourage more longer distance races instead of just the short courses.

“It is important to let people have a go at these kind of races.”

It will be a big program for the Partland kennel on Friday evening with three runners in the Cup heats as well as the Stayers Challenge heats. 

The team have Urana Lot (opening heat and box five) and Jazz Party (second heat and box one) in the distance races.

The four quickest dogs from each of Friday’s heats will progress to next Friday’s $15,400 decider.

Jazz Party is a three-time career winner over the 643 metre trip at Townsville from eight attempts, with three other minor placings.

The black bitch ran second at the trip earlier this month and the veteran conditioner is keen to see her closer to the leaders in the run on Friday after being handed the red rug.

“The draw does not really matter to her as she gives them a long start usually,” the South Townsville-based trainer said.

“She gets back in the field and comes home.

“She can position herself nicely and just sit behind as she likes to give them ten or so lengths start.

“She will need to be closer than that but she will be in the picture coming home.”

Urana Lot has not come on as much as Partland would have liked so he is changing up the bitch’s program by trying her over 643 metres for the first time.

He says she trialled well over the trip and is eager to see how she performs on Friday.  

The Townsville Cup of 2023 has attracted five strong heats for Friday with runners from across the state aiming to lob in the $75,000 Final.

Partland presents with three chances: Chasing Fernando (opening heat and box three), Bag The Cash (third heat and box eight) and Not A Shame (fourth heat and box two).

Bag The Cash has been all the rage in NQ in recent weeks – winning seven on the trot – with most of those coming over 380 metres before he stepped up to the Cup trip of 498 metres at his last start.

Despite that, Partland has labelled Not A Shame his number one seed in the heats after she posted a 28.50 second victory around the Showgrounds track on Saturday.

“I think she is probably the best of my three and she has drawn the same two as her recent win,” he said.

“She is nicely drawn.

“Bag The Cash has only had the one start over the 498 metres but everything we have thrown at him he has done.

“This is a big jump in class for him so we are not sure how he will go but he will give it a crack.”

Partland says Chasing Fernando has the most talent of the three Cup hopefuls but is getting on a bit in age.

On Friday night all runners across the five heats have a shot at racing through to the $75,000-to-winner Townsville Cup.