Cathy going forward towards Young Guns Final

By Jordan Gerrans

A Townsville Cup-winning training team are back in operation and have their sights set on the Young Guns crown following Tuesday’s heats.

Mate Rajan is a name that has not been in the greyhound form guide much in recent years but the kennel enjoyed immense success through the 1990s.

Mate trains alongside his son Mata with their former kennel star Super Rajan a Townsville Cup champion in the days before North Queensland racing was broadcast through Sky Racing.

Go Forward Cathy is flying the flag for the kennel these days with the black bitch doing enough in Tuesday’s heats to progress through to the Young Guns Final next Tuesday over 380 metres.

Go Forward Cathy was one of three second-place finishers – in 22.02 seconds - who went through to the decider following the five heats.

The Rajan-prepared bitch put in a strong performance as an outsider in the market to finish second to Showtime Imogen from the Tony Parker kennel.

With Mate in his mid-80s these days, Mata keeps the small kennel ticking along, which makes his father proud.

“It has been a while, in a heat for the first time and now into the feature Final – that is not too bad going,” Mata said.

“Judy Olsen came up to me a few weeks ago at the track and told me that I still had it. Once you have got the greyhound bug – you have got it for life.

“Being back training, it gives Dad a spark and it’s all worthwhile. As long as he is happy because he taught me it all with the dogs.

“It brings a smile to his face and keeps him going. There are some pretty handy dogs up here these days in Townsville, it is not like it used to be.”

Before Go Forward Cathy started racing for the Rajan kennel, they had not started a chaser in a race since June of 2021.

The father-and-son team stepped away in 2021 when Mate battled with his health.

The family have had some smart dogs over the years as Halifax Bay, Asamoah, Jarry Boy and Mooki all finished their careers with a double-figure victory tally.

They bred the majority of dogs they raced in earlier decades. 

“They both have been involved in it for years,” Townsville Greyhound Racing Club President Gary Heath said of the family. 

Go Forward Cathy was bred and previously trained by Adam Campton in New South Wales.

She raced at Gosford and Richmond through the early stages of this year before being purchased by the Rajans and sent north.

The Campton and Rajan kennels have had a long association with more greyhounds potentially moving to Townsville in the future.

Mata is focusing on getting Go Forward Cathy to jump cleanly like she did in Sydney at her former kennel.

“She is going good,” Mata said.

“She is just a little bit tardier out of the boxes than what she was in Sydney as she was flying out of them down there. Box manners win the majority of races and she is slowly coming along.

“She is improving with time and just getting better and better – she stepped with them on Tuesday night.

“Adam told me that she was probably the best one he has sent me. It has been a slow process with her since she has been here.”

While the daughter of Fernando Bale has talent, she has not done much winning in her short career.

She has placed on 11 occasions from 26 attempts, while grabbing just two victories.

The black bitch nabbed her first Townsville win late last month over 380 metres.

Mata thought Go Forward Cathy was unlucky not to win Tuesday’s heat but was still glad to progress through to the decider, where she has drawn the three alley.

“She lost her momentum near the home turn and if that didn’t happen – she would probably go close to winning the race,” Mata said.

“She was pretty strong at the end of the 380 metres. She did what she had to do to get us to where we want to be. She tries her little heart out and that’s all we expect.

“We have had our eyes on this race and series for her, bringing her up slowly, slowly and she was where we wanted her to be on Tuesday night.”

The Sarina-based kennel of Steven Scott was prominent in Tuesday’s heats, claiming two with Back Again and Oorah.

Oorah was the fastest heat winner of the five in 21.57 seconds and will jump from the six in the decider.

The Townsville club also ran four heats of the Anniversary Cup on Tuesday night over 498 metres ahead of next week’s Final.

Bobbie-Jean Chaffey claimed two of the Anniversary Cup heats with Grinch and Solomon Cain scoring.