Diva signals a training return for North Queenslander

By Jordan Gerrans

Townsville’s David Wolfinden had not prepared a greyhound in a race for almost a decade just a few weeks ago.

With just two runners to his name in his return to the industry, Wolfinden now has the unexpected chance to book a slot in the upcoming rich Townsville Cup.

Wolfinden’s Diva Signal was a strong heat winner in the Townsville Wildcard series on Tuesday evening at the Showgrounds complex in North Queensland.

The brindle dog fought back to down race favourite and consistent local dog Jimmy Roo in a diving finish to the 498 metre heat.

Diva Signal has long been owned by Wolfinden but he has only recently taken over the training duties.

The son of Beast Unleashed has drawn the seven for Tuesday’s Townsville Wildcard Final with the winner going straight through to the September 6, $112,500 Townsville Cup Final over 498 metres.

“My dog has won quite a few down at Ipswich and he has had a few problems of late and had a few months off, but we have got him right again,” the trainer and owner said.

“I expected him to run well on Tuesday night and he did.

“He has won in pretty good time at Ipswich and over the 520 metres – I thought I would throw him into this series.”

Wolfinden stepped away from greyhound training in early 2016 but remained in the code as an owner with many of his dogs prepared by close mate Colin Curtis at Churchable over the years.

Curtis is who sparked Wolfinden’s return to the training ranks in the Sunshine State.

With Curtis battling illness, Wolfinden came to Brisbane in April of this year to box Diva Signal in a semi-final of the rich Golden Chase at Ipswich. 

Wolfinden has owned dogs since the late 1980s and became mates with Curtis when they worked together in Townsville between 1987-92.

The friendship has continued ever since.

Townsville Wildcard hopeful Diva Signal headed north to NQ not long after the Golden Chase series and after a short break, he has returned in smart fashion.

He ran sixth at his first look at the Townsville track under race conditions late last month before storming home to win a heat of the Wildcard on Tuesday.

In his comeback to the training caper, Wolfinden is not getting carried away with Diva Signal’s Cup hopes but notes that from a local perspective, it is an open affair this year trying to sneak into the Cup field.

“I am not sure he is a Townsville Cup level dog but I do not think we have a real brilliant stand out dog here in Townsville right now over 498 metres compared to this time last year when Plum Tuckered was winning everything,” he said.

“There is a lot of good dogs in Townsville but there is no real stand out.

“It is pretty even up here at the minute.”

The Wildcard series attracted a bumper seven heats on Tuesday evening.

The Hayley Wooler kennel went on a Wildcard heat winning spree on Tuesday, claiming three of the seven, including Eyes On Meg posting the fastest time of the lot in 28.87 seconds.

Diva Signal got home in 29.35 seconds.

Diva Signal will need to contend with the seven alley on Tuesday in the decider.

Wolfinden’s chaser has won four of his eight career races from the three widest alleys.

“It suits him, from the races he has won a lot of them have been from out wider,” he said.

“He can jump so I would prefer him inside or outside and not stuck in the middle. The seven should suit him.”

The dog man just has Diva Signal in his kennel at the moment but his team’s size may increase in the coming months.

He has a glut of dogs he owns being broken in and pre-trained by the Dargusch clan in South East Queensland.

“There have been two that have broken in pretty solid,” the returning conditioner said.

“We have to give them time and hopefully they will all go well.

“The Darguschs have always done my dogs and do a good job with them.

“They are all pretty well bred these dogs.”

At 65 years of age Wolfinden is liking being back in greyhound training as he dabbles in fishing and playing golf in the semi-retirement phase of his life.

“Things are different and they have changed a bit since I was last training,” he said.

“It is more professional and there is more prize money on offer.

“Townsville has gone ahead with two meetings a week now.

“I am just about retired, I do not think I will get to many dogs but I think I will have one or two and have a bit of fun with them. I am enjoying training.”