Son of a gun takes Flying Amy Classic rewards back to WA

By Pat McLeod

Son of a gun, Uncle Tommy, replicated the never-say-die chase of his famous father to clinch a thrilling Group 1 Flying Amy Classic victory at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Using his box two draw to perfection, the Western Australian Tommy Shelby progeny, held his nerve and position to blunt the early challenges and lead for the remainder of the journey.

He finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Lakeview Emily (trained by Tony Brett), with Sunset Frazier (Tony Apap), third, in 30.12 seconds over 520 metres. 

“That was thrilling, a gutsy run,” trainer Steve Withers said after the $150,000-to-the-winner contest.

“He was very lucky. The inside draw made a lot of difference. But, he just chased. He is a great chaser.

“He has got speed and obviously he was lucky to get the opportunity to move early.”

On 'Champions Night' at 'The Creek', which also featured wins by Fast Milkman (Tim Britton) in the Group 3 Dashing Corsair Final and Fahey’s Magic (Tyson Barton) in the Group 2 Cyndie’s Magic Final, Withers was finally able to stand on the top rung of the winner’s podium.

“This is our third time over here and the first time we have had success after making a few Finals,” Withers said.

“But, this bloke happened to be the one who got it right on the right night.

“The main similarities between him and his dad is his will to win, his decision-making in traffic and his guts in tight positions.

“Tommy (Shelby) was a much faster dog than Uncle Tommy, but still he wasn't the fastest dog of his era.

“But, Tommy was a hard pressuring, good chasing, consistent dog, who could make good decisions and that is where this dog is similar.”

Withers, who places his dogs with good friend Jamie Hosking at Churchable during his Brisbane campaigns, said he made a late decision to bring the recent Group 1 Perth Cup winner across for the 2024 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival and the age-restricted Flying Amy Classic.

“I am a firm believer in travelling can bring a young dog on,” Withers said.

“It can help them mature and he is certainly a dog that has been a slow maturer. So, this was something that added up at the right time.

“Fate played its part. We will take him home and have a little break now. We will assess what to do with him then.

“He hasn't got the raw power to compete with the top quality, open-age dogs in this carnival. He can't run a 29.6 seconds. 

“He has over-achieved. He doesn't have to do much more in his career, we are already so proud of him. He is the son of his dad who still lives on our couch and our bed at home. That dog is very close to our hearts.”

Another hard chaser, Tyson Barton’s Fahey’s Magic, proved tenacity will have its own reward with a last-stride-win in the inaugural Group 2 Cyndie’s Magic Final over 600 metres, earlier in the Thursday night program at Albion Park.

Michelle Sultana’s One Hot Bandit appeared to have the race won after timing his run to perfection and surged to the lead near the winning post, only to stall with victory beckoning.

That was just the sliver of hope Fahey’s Magic needed, finishing brilliantly to score by the narrowest of margins over One Hot Bandit, with Tom Tzouvelis’ Tagovailoa third, in 34.84 seconds. 

“I think she (Fahey’s Magic) might have got a little bit lucky on the line,” the always reserved Barton said of the win.

“She never gives up, she just chases, keeps trying. It doesn't matter what the distance, she just keeps going.

“That was brilliant, an amazing run. I didn't give her a chance when she came past us at the 600 metre boxes.

“I think she was fourth and I didn't think there was any chance she would run down those other three dogs.”

Tim Britton’s Fast Milkman’s win in the Group 3 Dashing Corsair Final over 710 metres was another case of ‘right place, right time’.

The ever-consistent, veteran distance dog punched in his regular all-in day, staying close to, or in the lead, as trouble behind claimed short-priced favourite Valpolicella, who finished sixth.

“I thought he might get a place at best, but Valpolicella got into trouble and he was in the right place at the right time,” Britton said of Fast Milkman’s win.

“That run didn't surprise me. He is a one-pace dog and will do that every day of the week. He got a bit lucky with some of the other dogs running into trouble, but he got out well and put himself in the right position.

“This is his first feature win (after 82 starts). He is an old battle-horse, nothing brilliant, just a good consistent dog.”

Tim Britton claimed the same race at last year’s carnival with Play Nice.

He was a visitor then, but since then the Brittons have established a permanent base in South East Queensland at Churchable.

Britton said that move was now reaping the rewards, with the capacity to house dogs for a long-term stint in the Sunshine State or for briefer stays during carnivals.

“The move up here is really working out well,” he said.

“We are getting on top of things now. We have worked all of our programming out – which tracks to go to and when.

“As far as carnival dogs go, we’ve got good dogs, but not a great deal of champions.

“Trooper Tears (who ran second to Zipping Megatron in a Brisbane Cup Prelude on Thursday night) is one of our best at the moment and has come up and settled in very well.”

Zipping Megatron (Tony Brett) was among a handful of carnival dogs who continue to flex their potential leading into upcoming features.