For Angela and Peter, it’s the litter that keeps on giving

By Pat McLeod

Retirees Peter McBlane and partner Angela Brown continue their joy-filled ride in greyhound racing on Thursday night at Albion Park, without the focus on their litter star Brimstone.

The year of 2023 has been a stand out one for the couple based out of Taigum, just north of Brisbane.

Their Flying Fired Up and Agame litter, a mating master-minded by McBlane, hit the track with all seven ‘pups’ recording wins.

The best has been Brimstone, who to date has registered seven wins and a third from 13 starts for just over $60,000 in prize money.

That dog’s most significant win was taking out the Ipswich Young Guns crown, which offered $30,000 to the winner.

Unfortunately, Brimstone is sidelined after being injured in a heat of the Million Dollar Chase at Grafton on September 17.

But, on Thursday night at ‘The Creek’ two of his litter mates, Icy Eyes and Away Game, continue their own blossoming careers.

Icy Eyes, who like Brimstone has been entrusted to the premier Selena and Mick Zammit kennel, will make a much-anticipated step up to the 710 metre journey in a free for all race.

The black bitch progressed through her 600 metre growth stage with two wins and a third.

“She has certainly indicated that she would do well over more ground and I guess we will see how that goes on Thursday night,” Mick Zammit said. 

“Despite all the right indicators being there, you never really know what the outcome will be until you try.”

Icy Eyes will come out of the eight box against five other experienced distance campaigners.

Earlier that night, Brown will be seeing the results of her own training decisions when Away Game continues her own progression up the distance ladder.

Last week at Albion Park she stepped up to 520 metres for a second place finish behind Tom Tzouvelis’s Lightning Buzz after five wins and from six starts over ‘the shorts’.

“That was not only her first 520 metre race, but it was also the first time she had a pre-swab,” Brown explains. 

“The change in routine certainly had an effect and she was a little bit out of sorts.

“She didn't jump as well as I thought she would, but I was very happy with the effort that she put in in her first start over that distance.”

Brown and McBlane said they were both very excited to see how Icy Eyes handles the 710 metres. 

“I'm certainly excited about the prospects for the dog and how she might go on Thursday night, but of course I am excited about the whole litter,” McBlane said.

“I am certainly very happy to trust the expertise of Mick and Selena. That is the reason that dog and Brimstone are with them.

“They can certainly get the best out of those dogs whatever the distance is.”

Brown said having two of their litter in a high-profile kennel didn’t place extra pressure on how she and McBlane trained four members of the litter that remain in their care – Away Game, Batman Bob, Mahuika and Game One.

“No, we don't second-guess what we do as trainers,” Brown said.

“We just do our own thing and of course Selena and Mick do their thing.

“We don't hassle them or ring them. As Peter said, we have total trust in what they do, but we are also confident in what we are doing with our dogs.

“You shouldn't be training if you can't give your dogs the best possible opportunities."

Brown thinks they have done pretty well with what they are doing.

"With this litter we have had seven to the track and all seven have won," Brown said. 

“So, whatever we have done, breeding and training-wise, I think we have done pretty well.

“It certainly won't surprise me if one of the dogs we have went on to do something special.

“There actually isn't a lot of difference ability-wise between the whole litter, except for Game One.

“He is a beautiful dog, but was behind the door when ability was handed out.”

McBlane said Batman Bob would eventually be also moved up through the 600 metre and possibly 700 metre ranks and showed some signs ‘of something interesting’.

“I think he could really be something, but at the moment his head and his feet don’t always work together,” McBlane laughed.

On Wednesday’s Albion Park twilight program there will be five heats of the prestigious annual Dave Brett Memorial over 520 metres.