Bargara baker won’t be hurrying this racing recipe

By Pat McLeod

Like all good bakers, John Kuhn knows never to rush a winning recipe.

That is certainly his philosophy with late bloomer Rattlin’ Grace, who will exit box six in the Bundaberg Maiden 1000 Final over 460 metres on Monday.

From the July, 2021, Hooked On Scotch and Miss Emmy litter, Rattlin’ Grace recorded her first win in Monday’s heats, running the Bundaberg 460 metres in 26.92 seconds.

That was her 14^th start.

“I bred her litter and also her mother, Miss Emmy’s litter,” explains Kuhn.

“They are a very late maturing litter. In fact, Miss Emmy was running personal best times after she was three and a half years old and didn’t win her first race until her 26^th start.

“She then went on and won a Bundaberg Cup Consolation. So, it is no surprise to me that ‘Gracey’ is also developing later as a race dog. Also, she has had limited starts because she broke a metacarpal when quite young. I believe she will develop into a good 500 metre dog.

“Overall, I am very happy with the litter – three boys and two girls – and there is only one, Mia Jet, who hasn’t won, but has had a fair few placings.”

Four of the five dogs from the litter, including Rattlin’ Grace, are owned by the KTR Syndicate.

The three letters – KTR – stand for Kuhn, Taylor Racing and is the result of a partnership that has blossomed between John Kuhn, fellow trainer Darren Taylor, from Rockhampton, and their families.

“I have known Darren for some time and my daughter, Micaela, and Darren’s son Jordan, are engaged,” Kuhn said.

“In fact, Micaela and Jordan met at the Rockhampton greyhounds when I had taken a couple of dogs there for meeting.

“Micaela works as a veterinary nurse at Gracemere (near Rockhampton) and of course Jordan is heavily involved in his father’s kennel.

“The syndicate is working well. We have this litter and also a number of pups coming through. Darren and I work well together. We will send dogs between kennels depending on what campaign they have coming up. We also have our own dogs that we train separate to the syndicate.”

Kuhn said he preferred a wide barrier for Rattlin’ Grace for Monday’s assignment to keep as clear as possible from dogs that might be charging to the rail.

“I certainly do prefer her out wide,” he said.

“She is a straight runner so my concern would be more other dogs jumping and coming across. Hopefully she will stay out of trouble. She has natural early speed and will come across at her own leisure.

“Although that heat win was only her second start at Bundaberg she knows the track very well having trialled there on numerous occasions. The big dangers in this race would be Adam Mcintosh’s Rogue Ranger (box one) and Stephen Bland’s Cambla Bliss (box four).

“It will be a competitive Final, no doubt. I also have no doubt Gracey will run a quicker time this time around.”

Kuhn, who owns a bakery wholesale business and lives at Bargara, near Bundaberg, has been training since 2018.

“Once you get ‘the bug’, well, that is it,” he says.