Bailey to the rescue as Britton scores double

By Pat McLeod

Popular young greyhound enthusiast Bailey Dargusch has now added ‘Good Samaritan’ to his growing list of accolades.

The 17-year-old son of prominent Churchable industry figures Casey and Alan Dargusch came to the roadside rescue of nearby neighbours Tim Britton and Martina Kirillidis, and their team of race dogs, in the hours before Thursday night’s Albion Park meeting.

In an eventful lead-in to the night’s racing the successful Britton kennel was in danger of scratching all eight of their programmed racers before young Dargusch answered their 'SOS'.

“Yes, I owe Bailey a massive ‘thank you’,” Britton said much later that night.

“Without him we were stuck a long way from the track.”

About 20 minutes into their hour-and-a-half trek from Churchable to Albion Park, their van started to experience ‘issues’.

“We were going up a large hill and suddenly we started to lose power,” Britton said.

“There was obviously a major mechanical issue and I decided to pull over before the engine stopped completely. I was able to pull into a local school car park (at Minden) and we tried to figure out our next move.

“Bailey lives close to us and I knew that he was bringing dogs to the track and I gave him a call.        

“Fortunately, he hadn’t left and was able to attach a trailer to his van. He picked us all up and we got to the track 20 minutes before kennelling closed.”

Bailey said he was happy to help out.

“They were lucky they called when they did because I was only about 10 minutes from leaving," Bailey said. 

The night then had a positive twist for both kennels.

Power Of Whiskey, trained by Casey Dargusch and handled by Bailey, won the opening race of the night, a novice over 520 metres.

Then in race three, a free for all over 710 metres, the Britton and Kirillidis kennel took out the first four placings – (in order) Red Dirt Road, Shine A Light, First Picked and Small Town.

The Darguschs other runner on the night, Coruscate, was placed fifth in that race.

Bailey then had to wait until the end of the program, with Kirillidis having Gabby’s Gyros in race ten, a masters event over 520 metres.

The wait proved worth it with Gabby’s Gyros ($8) saluting in 30.61 seconds.

Power Of Whiskey continued to build a following with her win in a five-dog field pushing her ‘stats’ to three wins and five placings from 10 starts.

Bailey confirmed that the George Clegg-owned, Whiskey Riot and Power Service bitch’s recent good form coincided with an increase in distance.

“She had a couple of weeks off recently and then we put her in a 431 metre race (at Ipswich) and she got beaten, but she ran a decent time,” Bailey explained.

“I suggested to mum that we give her a week off and then step her up to 500 metres.

“Ever since we have put her up to 500 metres she has not put in a bad run (three wins and two placings across those five starts).

“On her running form I think she could turn into quite a good little stayer, probably more suited over 600 metres.”

Tim Britton continues to look ahead for a suitable next step for his promising stayer Red Dirt Road, whose seven-length victory on Thursday night marched him to 11 wins and five placings from just 25 starts.

“I was very happy with that run because I really want to see this dog do well,” Britton said.

“He is running good times at the moment, but I think if he was able to get down a little bit more you could see him doing well against some class dogs around the country.

“It is getting to the stage where I am prepared to travel with him.

“I’m looking at races like the Sydney Cup."

The Sydney Cup is a 720 metre Group 2 race on Million Dollar Chase Final night at Wentworth Park on October 18.

Another trainer with increasing options is Pam Field after another sub-30 (29.84 seconds) performance by More Than Money at Albion Park in a best eight race over 520 metres.

“That performance is confirmation to me that the dog is continuing to improve,” Field said. 

“It proves that last week’s win (also in a best eight race at Albion Park in 29.74 seconds) was no fluke.

“The fact that this was a six-dog field is significant because he appears to enjoy the extra room so that he can settle into his racing.

“He is learning and improving and gaining more confidence so I will be interested to see him in an eight-dog field.”

Another youngster growing in confidence is Warren Nicholls’ Just Loco, who reined in runaway leader Showpiece (trained by Tom Tzouvelis) with a blistering final charge over 600 metres at Albion Park on Thursday night.

It was the Tommy Shelby and Champagne Sally chaser’s second start over the middle distance and she improved her time from 35.50 to 35.41 seconds. 

Showpiece hung on for second with Gattlin Glass (Trevor Lindsay) a fast-finishing third.