Mark Sure Can with records in his sights

By Jordan Gerrans

Just a few months ago, the team behind Central Queensland chaser Mark Sure Can had their fingers crossed they might win a race or two with the greyhound.

After a dazzling run of a dozen victories since, they are now dreaming of writing their names into the record books.

Mark Sure Can already boasts the longest winning streak in the Sunshine State this year at 12 and he goes in search of a baker's dozen on Wednesday evening at Rockhampton.

“We are absolutely over the moon, it has been incredible,” Mark Sure Can’s owner Jason Phillips said.

“We never thought in a million years that he would win 12 in a row when he went up there.”

The CQ star dog still has a little way to go to write his name into the record books even if he is successful on Wednesday.

Sprinter Turbo Thomas extended his winning streak to 17 in early 2020, setting a new Australasian record for consecutive TAB wins.

Turbo Thomas’ amazing run stopped at 17 when he ran fourth trying to nab his 18^th on the trot.

Mark Sure Can – from a Slick and Sure You Can litter – began his racing journey in South East Queensland with leading trainer Sandra Hunt.

He got the cash on debut in the middle of May at Albion Park before two lacklustre efforts forced a kennel switch to Christine Pollard at Emerald.

The blue dog has not tasted defeat since.

He is unbeaten over the 407 metre trip at ‘Rocky’ since with a personal best time of 23.07 seconds.

That time is not far away from the track record at the Callaghan Park complex.

“He is amazing, he has been a revelation really,” Pollard said.

“I thought he would have a few more starts and then head back down to Brisbane following his first trial up here.

“I thought he might win a couple of races, three or four or something. And, then, he has just kept improving.”

The thinking behind sending the dog to Pollard from Phillips was that he was keen to have him in a smaller kennel and receive more one-on-one attention.

Owner Phillips has given dogs to Pollard to over the years from the earlier litters Sure You Can has produced.

The owner and breeder usually has his dogs race for Hunt before looking to CQ with Pollard.

“I would have been happy if he won a couple of races up there but he has exceeded all expectations,” Phillips said.

Mark Sure Can has dominated regional racing in recent months and Pollard has one eye on the city in the middle of December.

Queensland’s very own will shine brightest this December with the QGOLD Feature Night returning for its second year.

QGOLD Feature Night – which will  be staged at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club on Thursday, December 14 - is restricted to greyhounds born and bred in the Sunshine State and will offer almost $250,000 in prize money.

Phillips will not be making any suggestions around where the red-hot greyhound will campaign - he says it is all up to the trainer.

“He will be staying with Christine as long as she wants him, it is all up to Christine around his future racing programs,” Phillips said.

“We leave it all up to her. We have total faith in her and her decisions. She is incredible and does an amazing job.”

Pollard will consider a tilt at the QGOLD night in the city or the 500 metre Christmas Cup series at Rockhampton over the coming weeks.

There was not a race for the sizzling Mark Sure Can on last week’s ‘Rocky’ program so Pollard gave him a post-to-post after the final event on the card.

As he has been blowing away fields over 407 metres, Pollard thinks he will adapt without a worry to the extra trip.

“I think he will most probably run the 500 metres,” Pollard said.

“His early sectionals are just mind-blowing, to think he can replicate it week after week after week.

“I have just looked down at the times and gone ‘my God, how are you doing that?’

“There is not a lot of dogs who can do this. I know he is racing in lower company than Brisbane but he still has to go out and do it, which he has.”

Mark Sure Can has shown to be versatile as well with his early speed, scoring from almost every box across the dozen victories.

The only starting position he has not won from is eight.

He is yet to jump from the pink. He commences from the one on Wednesday.

Pollard is a veteran of more than four decades in the training ranks.

Pollard prepared her team of dogs for around 20 years at Bundaberg before relocating to Emerald where she has lived and worked for the last 20 or so years, as well.