Family the key to Jay Is Jay’s million dollar campaign

By Pat McLeod

The infectious smile that almost always inhabits Mick Zammit’s face disappears momentarily when he describes what victory for Jay Is Jay would mean in Friday night’s Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park.

“It would mean everything,” Mick says.

There is no after-laugh or twinkle in his eye. Just silence.

It is an interesting reaction from someone who has tasted so much success across more than three decades of greyhound training.

The 59-year-old Mick doesn’t explain the reason why the race is so all-important, but you can join the dots.

The million dollars. Yes, that means a lot. As previous winners of the MDC have attested: ‘It is life-changing.’

But, at the core of Mick's desire to win this race is a thread that binds so many greyhound kennels across Australia – family.

The Jay is Jay story is all about family. Parts of it are already well-documented. Jay Is Jay is trained by Mick’s wife Selena.

Selena's mother Lillian Jones owns the dog. She also owns the mother, Kealoah, which was the last dog trained by her husband and Selena’s father, high-profile Queensland greyhound industry identity, the late Jeff Jones.

When Jeff passed away in late 2018 Selena took over the training of Kealoah. She won her first race for Selena, two days after Christmas that year.

Also, Jay Is Jay is named in honour of Jeff Jones.

“Selena and I met through greyhounds,” Mick says.

“Both our families have been involved in greyhound racing for so long. And, so that connection came to the fore with Jay Is Jay. It really is something special.

“We still think about Jeff and his association through the mother (Kealoah). It is very much still part of this journey.

“We still joke - half joke and half serious – that we have the advantage of having Jeff riding the dog, cheering him home and guiding him.

“That element is still there. Jeff loved Kealoah. When he passed away, and we took over the dog, everything that happened since has been special.

“From that first win it was emotional and it is still emotional. Family is a big part of what we do.”

Both Mick and Selena will be with Jay Is Jay on Friday night at Wentworth Park.

The dog already has gravitas – 17 wins and eight placings from 33 starts for $316,250 in prize money and also an Albion Park 520 metre track record at 29.35 seconds.

Mick says Jay Is Jay is ‘perfect’ leading into Friday night’s showdown. He and Selena will drive down on Friday morning with the dog.

There are some nerves, but that is how it should be.

“Obviously, you do get excited and a little bit nervous, but that's all part of the fun,” Mick said.

“It is just very exciting to be in a race like this. There’s the excitement and the nerves.

“Jay Is Jay is coming out of box two and I am happy with that.

“He has been out of that box the last two times at Wentworth Park, so he knows that door.”

Like all greyhound pundits, Mick is looking forward to his dog’s showdown with headliner Postman Pat (trained by Jason Thompson), but emphasizes, this is far from a two-dog race.

“Postman Pat, out of box three, he has more early speed than us, but like our dog, he hasn't been coming out as well as he can," Mick said. 

“So, we are both probably in the same boat as to what we have been doing and what we are capable of doing.

“He is obviously the one to beat. He has got exceptional speed when he gets it right."

Could Jay Is Jay run down Postman Pat?

"I really don't know," Mick said. 

“At Postman Pat’s best, I don't think so. I don't think any dog could run him down. But, the same could be said for Jay Is Jay on their best runs.

“You are just not going to get past them. But, you don't know what is going to happen in a race. They might both miss the start and get into trouble and this isn’t a two-dog race.

“There were some very good off-the-lure runs last week. There are other dogs in this race that definitely are a major threat.

“There will be threats coming from everywhere in this race. We just hope that we can be on the fence going around the first corner and in a good position if we don't lead. Then fingers crossed.”

The Zammits are experiencing a training purple patch at the moment.

Jay Is Jay, the kennel star and also ‘the best-ever dog’ for both Selena and Mick, may be in sensational form, but their kennel has incredible depth.

“We are having a very good run at the moment with a very strong team,” Mick said. 

“We have had a few good periods, such as in the middle of the 1990s and again in the early 2000s.

“At the moment we have got some very handy city dogs including a good potential stayer in Icy Eyes.

“It is good and you just enjoy it while it lasts."

Mick says you never get used to winning.

"You love it, but, you can never get used to it," he said. 

“I always joke about this to myself. When you are going really well, you wonder how you could ever have gone so bad. And, when you are going bad, you wonder how you could ever have done so well.

“That is the way I look at greyhound racing and life in general. You will always have your ups and downs. But, greyhound racing really does highlight that fact.

“That will be the case on Friday night. Whenever you are in a big race, it means a lot.

“To win, it would just be fantastic, for everyone. But, if you get beat, life goes on. There is always another race.”

Several other Queensland greyhounds will be involved in a big night of Finals at Wentworth Park on Friday night.

They include: Adulate (Tony Zammit) in race three, the GRNSW Syndication Showdown Final; Lily Monelli (Jedda Cutlack) in race five, the Masters Meteor Final; Valpolicella (Tony Zammit) in race six, the Group 1 Sydney Cup Final; and Magistrate (Greg Stella) and Villante (Chris Brydon) in race seven, the Million Dollar Chase Consolation.