Group 1 destiny in sight for the respected Burman kennel

By Jordan Gerrans

The Burmans are resigned to the fact that their days in the greyhound racing industry are most likely numbered.

The husband-and-wife training team of Raymond and Mary are long-time industry veterans and well-regarded in the sport.

With Raymond’s Parkinson's disease and cancer battles over time, they accept the kennel is closer to the end than the start.

Despite his struggles, Raymond still fronts up as often as possible and cares for his team of chasers. 

With all that in mind, the Burmans would love to finally break through for their maiden Group 1 triumph in the sport at their beloved Ipswich track.

They get as good a chance as they ever will on Thursday evening when Ipswich track record holder Blue Hornet jumps from his preferred alley of two in the big Gold Cup Final.

Raymond is listed as trainer while Mary is labelled as the owner of Blue Hornet but in reality it is a team effort.

“His health is not terrific and he does what he can around the place as well as shuffling around on a race night,” Mary said of her husband.

“He turns up all the time. We obviously do not think we have a whole lot of time left in the racing industry if his health deteriorates over the years.

“So, I am pretty sure he would be tickled pink if we could pick up this race.”

The kennel already have an Ipswich Gold Cup on their honour board.

They claimed the time-honoured feature event with Super Hornet back in 2007 in 30.71 seconds. 

As the names suggest, Blue Hornet and Super Hornet are related down the line.

Back in 2007 the Ipswich Gold Cup was not yet elevated to elite-level race status and after nearly half a century in the code, Raymond thinks a first Group 1 for the team would be fitting as they edge closer to their training tenure coming to an end.

“It would be high up on the list,” the trainer said.

“Knowing behind the scenes that I will not be around for much longer in the racing game.

“I am not in the best of health but we keep plugging along.”

Blue Hornet set the fastest time ever recorded around Ipswich earlier this year at 29.83 seconds in an almost 12 length romp victory.

In a quirky twist, the blue dog broke his mother Champagne Sally’s track record on that occasion.

Champagne Sally previously held the speediest mark alongside Fernando Blaster at 29.97 seconds.

Raymond says it is sad in a way that the Blue Hornet would break his mother’s previous high mark, joking that it would have been better if it was another record he broke instead.

Mary had to have a hard conversation with the now retired brood bitch Champagne Sally when she got home from the track that night in late February.

“It was a bit special and I had to break the news to her when we got home that he broke her track record,” Mary said with a chuckle.

“It was unbelievable.

“For the mother to hold it and then have one of her pups to come out and break the track record, something like that is unbelievable.”

Based at Park Ridge, the Burman kennel have enjoyed outstanding success through their breeding line over the generations.

It started with Up And Down when the bitch was whelped back in 2000 and has progressed through to top dogs such as Blue and Super Hornet, among many others.

Reflecting back on the 2007 Ipswich Cup glory, Mary notes that the two Hornets are different in their racing patterns.

Blue likes to get back in the field and run on late while Super was an out-and-out leader.

“It would mean a lot, we have not trained a Group 1 winner before so this would be our opportunity,” Mary said.

“We have been training greyhounds for 50 years and it has eluded us to win a Group 1, we have won great Group 2 and 3 races in the past.

“But, this Group 1 would be really great if we could win it.

“We have tried to win the Ipswich Cup so many times since 2007.”

The event will be raced for $225,000 over 520 metres on Thursday evening.

Blue Hornet won through to the decider following a 30.58 second performance in the last of the heats.

He has again drawn the two position to begin from in the Final, which has Mary smiling.

“I thought he did really well in the heats,” Mary said.

“We have got the same draw for the Final, so I am pretty happy with that.

“That is where he needs to be drawn, I would have been very happy if I got one, two or three. I could not be happier.”

Blue Hornet is an Ipswich specialist, recording eight victories from 15 attempts at the facility in his career.