Tzouvelis adds Capalaba Derby to his golden run

By Pat McLeod

The Tom Tzvouelis greyhound racing ‘gold rush’ continues with the Brisbane conditioner rounding out an amazing week with victory in Sunday’s Capalaba Derby Final with outsider Hail The Chief ($26).

Tzouvelis started the week taking out the popular straight track feature, the Capelbourne Cup, on Tuesday, with Rio Will Rock, then hit the high point on Thursday night when kennelmate Autumn Storm won the Group 1 Ipswich Cup before celebrating again at Capalaba with a Derby delight.

The Park Ridge-based trainer then explained that because of ‘an interesting’ set of circumstances, Hail The Chief will be on a plane on Monday, headed to a new kennel in Victoria.

“This dog has been an interesting one for us,” Tzvouelis said.

“We bought him from Michael and Michelle Jones (from Nabiac in NSW), who are the owners of Autumn Storm.

“Soon after he came to us he cracked his stopper bone when he was about 12 months old. We actually did not think that he would make it to the racetrack, but he did and we decided to keep him at Capalaba.

“We tried him on the circle, but he would pull up sore after trialing there.

“So, with Albion Park and Ipswich really not an option, the decision was made to send him to Peter Kelly in Victoria. No doubt he will start racing at Healesville and then the big one-turn tracks nearby.”

Tzouvelis said with Hail The Chief’s early injury setback, his kennel had decided to be patient with him.

“Before he started racing he trialed 20 seconds dead at Capalaba so we knew that he had something,” Tzouvelis said.

“But, we just didn't know if he was going to hold together. When you crack a stopper bone, not many dogs come back from that. It was like every run was a bonus for us.

“When he did the injury we didn’t gallop him for six months. We had time on our side. Then when he did race, he took to Capalaba really well. He has just turned two years old, so really he is still a baby.

“He is running 19.63 seconds (personal best at Capalaba), so if he can stay sound there is every chance he could reach the class where he could be back up here for next year’s Capalaba Cup or racing at The Q.

“But, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Hail The Chief was just outside his Capalaba personal best on Sunday, winning in 19.64 seconds by two lengths over Claude Dacey’s Daysea’s Kurt with Blue Art (trained by Robert Ayres) third.

“Sunday is probably as good as he has ever begun,” Tzouvelis said.

“He has been hit and miss in the past at the start.

“The good dogs were boxed upside-down in the Final and so we thought we did have a good each-way chance with this dog. We were on the side of the track that we wanted, they weren't and he took advantage of it.”