Hickmott after more Gold in Country Cup series

By Jordan Gerrans

Veteran conditioner Michael Hickmott will always have a special place in his heart for Instant Gold and he knows the black dog will give his all in the upcoming Townsville Country Cup Final.

Three heats of the North Queensland leg of the Country Cup series were held on Tuesday evening at the Showgrounds complex with the Final to be contested next week.

The top two-placed dogs from the Final will go through to the Queensland Country Cup Final over 520 metres at Albion Park on February 1.

Hickmott’s Instant Gold snuck into the Townsville decider by finishing second to Barcia Beach in the second of the three heats.

The experienced local dog man understands Instant Gold faces a tough ask in the Final against local stars such as Plum Tuckered and Balts Orson but he believes his chaser will give his all regardless.

Instant Gold was forced wide at times during the 498 metre run on Tuesday night but he stuck to the task to finish just over a length behind Barcia Beach from the Mark Partland kennel. 

“I was happy with him, he gives everything he has every run,” Hickmott said.

“I cannot make him out to be something he is not – he is just a good, honest dog.

“He chases his guts out. It was probably one of his best runs on Tuesday night and as he gets older, he is getting stronger.

“He has been a very good dog to me. He will always give us everything.”

Instant Gold is a Townsville specialist through his career.

He has 52 starts to his name with all of them being at the NQ track.

He has struck form in recent weeks as well, winning two of his last four, as well as two other minor placings.

From an Aussie Infrared and Flamenco Girl litter bred in Bundaberg, the Bluewater-based Hickmott picked up Instant Gold and three other litter siblings when they were three months old.

He then reared the quartet with Instant Gold joined by litter sister I'm A Dancer as eventual Townsville winners.

“It means a bit more to you when that is the case, rearing them,” Hickmott said.

“He is a nice dog to have around the place as well, which means a lot to me.”

Nearing his 70^th birthday, Hickmott is still enjoying preparing his team of eight race dogs in Townsville.

The former committee man of the Townsville Greyhound Racing Club is one of the longest serving trainers in the region and was at the track when it first opened in 1976.

Hickmott spends plenty of time walking his dogs to keep them mentally happy for their upcoming races.

Heats and Finals of the Country Cup take place at Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Townsville this month.

The top two-placed dogs from the Finals at each of the three country clubs, plus the two highest graded, third place getters in the respective Finals will go through to the Queensland Country Cup Final over 520 metres at Albion Park on February 1.

Finalists will not only race for the $26,500 in prize money, but also for the bragging rights of their club boasting the top regional greyhound in Queensland.

The ‘Final Night’ at Albion Park will be raced on a program that will also include two Group 1 races.

Instant Gold has drawn the five for next Tuesday’s Townsville Final.

He has never missed the money with the yellow rug on his back, collecting two victories and four minor placings from half a dozen attempts.

With local track record holder Plum Tuckered to commence from the two alley on Tuesday, Hickmott thinks the Final shapes up as an ‘even’ affair.

“The draw does not really matter for him as he needs to get out and go, which he does,” the veteran dog man said.

“Any box is a good box, he just needs to lead. There is some real speed dogs in there and my dog will run the same time every week.

“He just needs to bank on the other dogs not running as well as they can so he can have some chance in a race like this.

“For the rest of the dog’s, the box draw makes it very even, I think.”

Meanwhile, veteran Sunshine Coast trainer Eric Conroy and Different Drum claimed Bundaberg’s Country Cup Final on Monday in 30.55 seconds to qualify for the big dance. 

Dodgy Mick – who is prepared by Allen Kelly – ran into second position.