McCarthys' golden run with emerging litter

By Jordan Gerrans

While Ben McCarthy grew up around the greyhound code, following in his father John’s footsteps into the training ranks seemed like an unlikely path only a few years ago.

Fast forward to the end of 2024 and the Vernor-based dog man is one of the emerging conditioners in the Sunshine State.

He already has a Group 3 Ipswich Derby crown on his resume and has ambitions to target the rich Vince Curry series early next year with an exciting unraced youngster.

Ben’s father John has been an established mentor for decades in Queensland and says he ‘couldn’t be prouder’ of his son.

“He is dedicated and he does everything right,” John said.

“He has got the patience. He has had a good start and he has a few handy pups coming through, but you still have to do everything right – which he has.”

While Ben has achieved feature glory with Fast Eddie in recent weeks and has Vince Curry ambitions in 2025, this week it is John’s turn to shoot for big-race glory.

John’s Affluent was a stylish heat winner of the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters series last Thursday in 29.93 seconds and the son of Aston Rupee has drawn exactly where the trainer would like for this week’s decider.

Affluent is a litter brother to Ben’s Ipswich Derby champion Fast Eddie.

The mating of Aston Rupee and Pearl Za Diamond – who John raced – is proving to be a prolific one with the litter already producing half a dozen individual race winners for 26 victories all up.

Fast Eddie leads the way in terms of career-winning stakes so far for the litter.

Affluent and litter sister Mossy Boots get the chance to surpass him in Thursday’s lucrative QGOLD event.

Mossy Boots ran into third in a heat last week and did enough to force her way into the Final.

Pearl Za Diamond was a talented bitch but her career was cut short by injury after just 43 starts.

“This second litter of Pearl Za Diamond, they are still only babies but we have hopes for them,” John said.

“They have got it all in front of them.”

Mossy Boots will commence from the two in the 520 metre Final while heat winner Affluent again jumps from the eight, an alley he has won from three times in five attempts.

“He was drawn where he wanted to be in the eight as he is not quick out of the box but he can muster quickly,” John said of Affluent. 

“He wants to be out there and left alone. Drawn the eight again in the Final, he is perfectly boxed.

“It is a really tough field, there was some smart times in the heats last week.”

Affluent is on a path towards the Group 2 Queensland Derby following the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters decider.

John won the first Queensland Derby to be raced at Albion Park in 1993 with a dog called Dagenham.

Albion Park will on Thursday evening showcase the best local chasers in the Sunshine State with QGOLD feature night.

The promotion of Queensland-bred greyhounds is a key component of the 2024-25 Queensland Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival. 

The feature race meeting caters for all greyhounds bred in Queensland whether they are maidens, novices through to graded dogs.

“It is just a brilliant concept really,” John said.

“It is a big night coming up on Thursday for all distances and the money is good – it has never been better.

“Through the year when they have these QGOLD races, it is a big kick on for trainers to be able to go to these things.

“The money that is around now – it just gives you the impetus to go forward.”

John’s name will be up in lights this week and Ben is hopeful of being back in the spotlight soon.

Kennel star Fast Eddie is on the comeback from an injury while he has a smart unraced youngster he plans to campaign through the prized Vince Curry series.

He admits preparing his own kennel was not something he planned to do despite growing up around the sport with his father training for much of his life.

Ben had owned greyhounds in the past and enjoyed some success.

“It wasn’t on the radar particularly,” Ben said of training. 

“It sort of came later in life for me to get involved this way.”

Ben is busy setting up his own kennel at his Queensland property while also working up a nice young litter from broodbitch Smart Lilly that he has high hopes for.

He works in the building industry, which is helpful when it comes to setting up a brand new greyhound racing kennel.

“The last five or so years, I got interested again and took out my licence,” Ben said.

“It reignited my interest as I have always followed my parents dogs. I was interested in having a crack at training on my own but I was based in town and didn’t have a property.

“Once we did get a property, we set it up and got going.

“Obviously there is a lot of work when you are setting it up yourself when you are getting going.”

The Ipswich Derby of 2024 will go down as one of the greatest nights in the McCarthys' time in the sport.

John bred the litter and gifted Fast Eddie to his son to prepare. 

John caught the dog following the Final and admits it was an emotional moment, labelling it one of the most memorable occasions he has had in his tenure in the sport.

Ben says he is aiming to emulate his father’s training methods when it comes to feeding, training and injury management for his growing team of chasers.

“I know how hard that can be – sometimes it might be a lifetime for someone to train a winner like that,” Ben said of the Ipswich Derby win.

“I was pretty fortunate really.

“It was unexpected but welcomed. I have experienced the highs and lows of greyhound racing so far this year, with that win and now Fast Eddie being out injured.

“My dad is a wealth of knowledge and I tap into it every week.”

John will also campaign Gypsy Girl Pearl in Thursday's QGOLD Rookies Final over 520 metres.