Gladman’s ‘delaying tactics’ could result in a Rising Stars boilover

By Pat McLeod

Greyhound theorist Doug Gladman has a realistic forecast of Hudson Bay’s hopes in Thursday night’s Group 3 Rising Stars Final over 520 metres at Albion Park.

It is just the dog’s second start on an oval track.

“I wouldn’t back him,” says the veteran trainer.

But, then comes an intriguing follow-up line: “But, I wouldn’t back anything to beat him either".

The reasoning behind Gladman’s poles-apart opinion of his young speedster becomes apparent when he outlines his theory.

Up until last Thursday night’s Rising Stars heat at ‘The Creek’, Hudson Bay had raced exclusively, and quite successfully, on the Capalaba straight track.

From his 13 starts at Capalaba his record was seven wins and two seconds.

The dog is obviously fast.

There was interest in his sizeable step into ‘circle’ racing and he didn’t disappoint, leading for a large chunk of the journey before being run down by Renald Attard’s Mrs. Musgrave.

Hudson Bay’s second, in 30.60 seconds, was enough to get through to the $30,000-to-the-winner Final.

Gladman explains why he waited until the dog’s 14^th start, and a Group race heat, before leaving Capalaba.

“For quite a while I have been confident that this dog would become a very good greyhound,” he said.

“He was racing, and winning, at Capalaba, but there was an issue with the way he ran. Halfway up the straight he would change stride, half stumble, and on one occasion almost fell, and then he would get going again.

“He was doing this all the time. I trialled him on the circle and he did the same thing on the top turn, causing him to run off.

“I discussed this with my trainer in Melbourne, Kevin McNamara (who, with wife Bonnie, was recently inducted into Victorian Greyhound Racing’s Hall of Fame).

“My opinion was that he was running on the precociousness of youth. Basically, my theory is that he has ability and his brain was saying ‘I can go faster’, but his body wasn’t quite ready for that.

“Kevin told me not to take him off the straight until he stopped doing what he was doing. So, we didn’t.”

Recently Hudson Bay lost his mid-race wobbles and so Gladman and his dog farewelled Capalaba.

“He was going from that precociousness of youth and was maturing and the change of stride disappeared,” Gladman says.

“I know some people might think that was a foolish thought process, but it is what I genuinely believe.”

So, with just one trial over the 520 metre trip under his belt, Hudson Bay took on that distance under Thursday night lights at Queensland racing headquarters.

“It was a big ask, but we were very happy with the way that he ran from the outside box,” Gladman said of Hudson Bay’s heat run.

“That was a pretty impressive run. I am very confident that he will be improved from that. Being his first run on the circle, he would have picked up a lot of experience from that. All I know is that the dog will do his best.

“What impresses me with him so far is that he is a keen little chaser, really game. Tough as boot leather. But, there are very smart dogs in this race. These are some of the best young dogs going around.

“I certainly have an opinion of Jen’s Joy (trained by Jamie Hosking) and also the Sydney dog (Overflow Beau trained by Craig Chappelow). I won't be disappointed in Hudson Bay wherever he finishes.”

Gladman said he had purchased Hudson Bay out of a Victorian litter because the sire, Bernardo, is closely related to his champion bitch Tyanna Belle.

In the twilight of her career, Tyanna Belle won last year’s Queensland Flame ahead of a second-placed Jay Is Jay.

That win put Tyanna Belle through to the $1 million The Phoenix at The Meadows, where she ran seventh.

It also gave Gladman and wife Heather the most amazing ride of their greyhound careers.

“I am a big fan of Bernardo and I have followed him,” explains Gladman.

“A good friend of ours, Sue Boreland, from Seaspray (Victoria) whelped this litter.

“Ironically, the dog who came out of the seven box in last week’s heat and kept my bloke wide for a while, Dark Photon (Wayne Spann), is his litter brother.”

Gladman said the two box ‘is perfect’ for his young charge on Thursday night.

“I will be disappointed if he's not in front early, because he has got that brilliance,” he said.

“But, it would be pretty foolish to suggest that a dog could win a Group race in his second run over the distance. That is a big ask.”