Ipswich Young Guns an indicator of things to come

By Pat McLeod

John Jeffrey is slowly edging towards his long-term goal for the historic Postman’s Ridge Greyhound Complex at the foot of the Toowoomba Range.

Interested industry onlookers can get a sneak peak of that plan when Cash Handy contests the opening heat of the Ipswich Young Guns (520m), on Saturday night.

He may not have bred Cash Handy’s litter (Aussie Infrared x Athletic Lee), but owns all eight of them and trains six.

Which is a glimpse of his end-game at Postman’s Ridge.

“I have been involved with greyhounds all my life,” Jeffrey explains as the back-story to his current plans.

“My father and uncle were trainers. We are from Victoria and I grew up in Ballarat.

“I moved to Queensland in 1991 and have had a few good dogs, such as Category One.

“I won almost 20 races with him, the majority of those at Albion Park on a Thursday night. He also won at Sandown, The Meadows and Cannington.

“He made a couple of group finals and won over 520 metres, 600 metres and 700 metres.

“He was a good dog.”

Jeffrey said that he opted out of the industry for several years before returning in 2022 with the purchase of Postman’s Ridge, an iconic South East Queensland trialling and education centre.

“When I bought Postman's Ridge it wasn't with the intention of it being a break-in centre,” he said.

“I really bought it for my own breeding and to break-in my own dogs, but obviously there was a need for it within the industry so I have continued to take dogs in, although I have cut my numbers back a bit.

“I'm just trying to create some more time so I can train a few.

“Ultimately I am keen to breed and race my own dogs with public trialling still available.”

Jeffrey’s urge to focus more on training has certainly found its mark with this current litter.

He has two placed with Townsville’s Mark Partland, but the rest have been schooled and are getting race hardened out of Postman’s Ridge.

“I really liked the breeding,” is his answer to why he took all eight pups on board.

“The mother (Athletic Lee) was a well-performed bitch, a free-for-all bitch that had won at Wentworth Park sub-30 a couple of times.

“And I like the Aussie Infrared dogs because they chase.

“I bought them at about eight months of age and broke them in.

“I am very happy with how they have come along. All but two have won and without disclosing figures I would be well in front now and they are only lightly raced.”

Jeffrey said Cash Handy has shown a lot of improvement over recent starts.

“Originally I thought Tank Engine was the pick of the litter, but now there wouldn’t be much between him and Cash Handy,” he said.

“Cash Handy has really come on and is showing more early speed and some good box manners.

“I definitely think he is up to the class of dogs in this Young Guns series.

“Unfortunately coming out of Box 5 in the heats hasn’t done us any favours.

“He just has to come out well to give himself a chance in this race. We will see what happens.

“There is no doubt he will be looking for the fence early.

“He will be competitive and they will know that he is in the race.”

There will be four quality heats of the Ipswich Young Guns on Saturday night as well as a top field to contest the Ipswich Grand Prix Final (732m).