Winning run thwarts Claude’s retirement plans

By Pat McLeod

Claude Dacey’s threats to ‘finally retire’ from training greyhounds may again be thwarted by a rich run of racing.

This week the Gilberton-trainer will contest two feature race Finals.

Dacey is 90 years of age. 

On Thursday night he has Daysea’s Rory (box five) and Daysea’s Chief (second reserve) in the Molly Campbell Silver Dollars Final at Albion Park.

Then on Sunday he will contest the Michael Miller Memorial Final with Daysea’s Elvis in box one.

He also has Daysea’s Tim as the first reserve.

“It really is great to be in two Finals this week,” Dacey says.

“But, I am pretty adamant that this will be my last year. At the end of the year I am out. That will be it for me.

“Although, of course, people say that I have been threatening that every year. But, I have my son Robbie involved now. So, we will see.

“It is hard to walk away, especially with the money so good for everyday races, let alone the features that I am involved in this week. It really is a great time to be involved in the sport.”

The difficulty for Dacey is that all four dogs in this week’s features are from the same home-bred Sennachie and Nikki Nettle litter.

They are yet to turn two, but are already showing good ability.

“The two that are involved in the Thursday night Final, Daysea’s Rory ($30,920 in prize money from 23 starts) and Daysea’s Chief ($22,990 from 24 starts) are probably the pick of the litter,” Dacey says.

“They are good, handy dogs - not Group class, but good dogs. They might get through to a Group Final, but winning would be another matter.”

Dacey said he was still ‘trying to work out’ Sunday’s Capalaba feature runner Daysea’s Elvis.

“The first time he raced at Capalaba (the dog’s third start) he went really well – stormed home for a win,” Dacey explains.

“I thought he would be a good Capalaba dog and I love taking dogs to that track, have done all my race career.

“But, then he went off a bit and didn’t seem all that keen on chasing. So, over time I took him to Albion Park, but he doesn’t like racing there at all.

“Last week I took him down to Casino for a trial and he went really well there. I brought him back to Capalaba (for last Sunday’s heats) and he was like a new dog. So, we will see how he goes on Sunday."

Dacey is hopeful for Sunday's event. 

“I give him a chance at winning this race on Sunday, not a really big chance, but a definite chance," Dacey said. 

“He has got the one box and he loves the inside. So, as long as he jumps.

“It will be a good race and there are some pretty quick dogs in this Capalaba Final, but that is not a surprise because the competition there is pretty hot.

“You have trainers coming from all over, from across the border and throughout South East Queensland. There are no give-away races there. But, that is great for the club. It’s a fantastic place to go racing. I love it there.”

The annual Michael Miller Memorial feature is arguably the most popular race on the Capalaba calendar.

It does not offer the huge prize money of other features, but attracts incredible support.

Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club manager Erin Cameron said the race is a tribute to a young man who was ‘going places’ in the racing industry before being tragically killed in a car accident in 1998.

He was just 18 years old.

“Many trainers nominate every year for this event, not necessarily because they think they have a good chance of winning, but because they want to be part of a tribute to Michael,” Cameron said.

There were six heats last Sunday.