Victorian Dundee Rebel back for more Queensland spoils

By Jordan Gerrans

Victorian trainer Geoffrey Scott-Smith has no concerns about heading to heats of the Ipswich Gold Cup without a trial on the surface for reigning Flying Amy champion Dundee Rebel.

The Pakenham South-based conditioner has declared that when his kennel star goes to a track for the first time, then that is when he performs at his best.

That was the case in Dundee Rebel’s first look at Albion Park earlier this year and Scott-Smith anticipates it will be a similar result on Thursday evening at the Showgrounds complex in Ipswich.

“I do not think it is necessary for him,” Scott-Smith said on Tuesday morning around a trial.

“Everywhere he has been, he has been there first-up and he has done very well.

“They are different sorts of tracks and he has always done well at them.

“It has never been a concern for him before.”

Scott-Smith points to strong performances at tracks such as Geelong and Sandown earlier in the brindle dog’s career that suggest a trial is not a ‘must’ before racing at a new venue.

He ran second to Magistrate at his first look at Albion Park during the recent winter carnival before scoring at his second start just seven days later. 

Dundee Rebel was a somewhat surprise entry into Thursday’s Group 1 Ipswich Gold Cup heats.

A total of seven heats for the Cup will be held on Thursday, with the crop of greyhound’s shooting to claim the $150,000 on offer in the Final seven days later.

Dundee Rebel was set for the Cranbourne Cup series earlier this month at Sandown.

After finishing second in a heat on Thursday of last week and not progressing through to the Final, Scott-Smith quickly shifted his focus to the Sunshine State and the increased stakes on offer for the Ipswich show-piece race this year.

It has been a happy hunting ground for the Victorian kennel this year.

Dundee Rebel had five runs at Albion Park earlier this year and did not finish outside of the money.

He prevailed in the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic before running third in the Listed Tony Brett Consolation Final on Brisbane Cup night.

Rusty Dillon – who is based at Postmans Ridge at the foot of the Toowoomba Range – looked after Dundee Rebel for Scott-Smith during the dogs earlier stint in Queensland and he will again do the same through the Ipswich campaign.

“He is a very happy dog, he is in your face as a people dog,” the Victorian dog man said of Dundee Rebel. 

“It does not matter where he goes, he is the same. He seemed to take a shine to Rusty up there and they got on really well.

“He raced exceptionally well at Albion Park considering he had not been there before.”

All of Scott-Smith’s greyhounds carry the Dundee prefix.

Dundee Rebel was beaten just over two lengths last Thursday in his Cranbourne Cup heat and the veteran conditioner believes that is good enough form to be competitive at Ipswich over the next fortnight.

“At the moment, he is jumping out of his skin and he is racing very well,” the trainer said.

“When he missed the Final of the Cranbourne Cup, we made the decision to send him up to Rusty and give him a go.

“It has worked out he can run in these heats now.

“He is a very good dog but he is probably just not up there with the elite dogs, he is a good trier. He always gives it his all, which is a bonus.”

Dundee Rebel has been handed the three alley in the second last of seven Gold Cup heats on Thursday.

Scott-Smith says the draw should be of no concern for his 11-time career winner but did note that Dundee Rebel does lack some early speed once the lids fly open.

After initially being floated as a Ipswich Gold Cup hopeful earlier this month, Million Dollar Chase hero Jay Is Jay will not start in the heats on Thursday evening.

Champion conditioner Raymond 'Jack' Smith has also not returned north to Ipswich this week after giving three from his kennel a look at the track for the first time on Saturday.