Litter siblings on show in North Queensland

By Jordan Gerrans

Greta Thomson thinks the Townsville Futurity title would sit nicely alongside the Derby triumph when she eventually looks back on the 2023 season.

The Black River-based trainer is enjoying a magical run with her Barcia Bale and Neo Cleo litter brother and sister since their arrival in North Queensland.

My Mate Neo claimed the annual feature Townsville Derby crown on Tuesday evening and earlier in the program his litter sister I'm A Neo was successful in a heat of the Futurity.

I'm A Neo will get her chance in the Futurity Final in seven days’ time.

For Thomson, she says it would be ‘lovely’ for the siblings to share in the juvenile prize for their gender.

Thomson has been in the code for much of her life and was handed the collar and lead by her late father Bob, who trained himself for many years before he sadly passed away following a battle with cancer around three years ago.

Thomson usually works around eight dogs in her kennel at a time and has been waiting for as long as she can remember for dogs such as My Mate Neo and I'm A Neo.

“In all the years I have been racing greyhounds, I have never had the calibre of dogs of these two,” she said.

“They have fitted in really well with me and they are just beautiful dogs.

“My late Dad would be so happy with how well these dogs are going.”

The litter mates began their racing journey in Victoria with the Neocleous kennel.

My Mate Neo was the first of the two the NQ-based conditioner purchased before his sister followed around a month later.

I'm A Neo arrived in the northern city as a 20 start maidener.

The black and white bitch quickly broke through for her first victory of her career in her first look at the Townsville Showgrounds track and has added three more since, including Tuesday’s Futurity heat blitz.

Thomson owns and trains the siblings and she was pleased with I'm A Neo’s 28.70 second performance in the Futurity heat.

“She just winds up and has a really strong run home,” she said.

“She has been a bit sore in recent weeks but I have worked on her and she has come through with the goods."

As well as the Derby Final and the Futurity heat wins, the Thomson kennel also nabbed another race on the program on Tuesday to make it a winning treble.

To claim three victories on one race card with just eight dogs in work, the trainer was ecstatic with the performance of her team.

My Mate Neo upset red-hot race favourite Jimmy Roo to claim the $5,005 prize on offer for the Derby Final in the exact same time his litter sister won in earlier in the night.

“He has been going well but he just has not been able to get the jump in races,” the trainer said.

“He is quite a stressful dog but I was over the moon with the performance.

“I was rapt that he got a clean run.

“My big fella has a strong run home and I was ecstatic.”

Thomson has her eyes on preparing her star litter siblings for the Townsville Cup when it rolls around in 2024.

Ferocious June from the Robert Lound kennel claimed the other Futurity heat on Tuesday evening and like I'm A Neo, is expected to be a serious contender in the upcoming Final.