McGrath slipping into greyhound training

By Jordan Gerrans

After serving a lengthy and arduous apprenticeship in the greyhound caper, rookie conditioner Michael McGrath entered the training ranks in 2024 with an air of optimism around his new undertaking.

Those feelings were backed up last week when he qualified the first and only dog he has ever prepared for the Group 2 Queensland Derby during the 2024-25 Queensland Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival.

While McGrath’s Slippery's Way did not walk away with the sizeable prize purse on offer, the son of My Redeemer ran a credible race – finishing fifth - and looks a dog on the rise for the Wakerley-based kennel.

From a My Redeemer and Tahlia's Way mating, Slippery's Way ran into second in a Derby heat behind Wreck James in 30.22 seconds to book a spot in the feature decider.

While he raced against some of the best up-and-coming dogs in Queensland last week, McGrath will take his promising chaser back in grade this week with the aim of building his confidence further.

“I probably didn’t understand it because it came so quickly,” McGrath said of having a Group-level runner just months after he started his first dog in a race.

“He probably could have run second or third in the Derby if things went his way in the run.

“I have always wanted to win a race at Capalaba so we will go there on Wednesday and then we will look to going back to Albion Park on Monday.

“That should sharpen him up. Hopefully the dog will get some confidence from those runs and then we will reassess it all after that.”

McGrath owned Tahlia's Way during her racing days.

The fledgling trainer is listed as Michael McGrath in the form guide but he has been known as ‘Ben McGrath’ from a young age.

The black dog has won on five occasions from 15 attempts as well as four other minor placings after debuting in early September.

She won on debut to hand the McGrath kennel a memorable kick-off point. 

Slippery's Way’s mother Tahlia's Way was prepared by Dulguigan dog man John Dart.

Dart served as a key building block of McGrath’s greyhound apprenticeship.

McGrath has long owned dogs, as well as sponsoring the Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club through the business he owns, Annual Pest Management.

He was also involved in gallopers and the harness code earlier in his life as an owner.

After a lengthy career in business, McGrath knew that if he wanted to be successful as a greyhound trainer then he needed to pick the brains from some of the best in the industry.

He enlisted Dart, the respected Gregory Brennan, as well as Hall of Fame mentor Tony Zammit and Scott Gould.

McGrath describes Dart as his ‘teacher’ and ‘biggest influence' as he spent a decade under his tutelage.

McGrath also raced First Fire with the Dart kennel through the late 2010s and won 19 races, including competing in Group company on several occasions.

As Dart lives south of the border, McGrath also decided to work with Brennan, Zammit and Gould at different times over the last couple of years to upskill himself locally.

He even travelled interstate with master trainer Zammit on multiple occasions when he chased riches with staying star Valpolicella.

“I have had the right people in my corner and a lot of good help – I have done a good apprenticeship,” he said.

“I have been learning to train on and off for 10 years now from ‘Darty’, asking a lot of questions.

“I have been on the tools working with them the last two years as I wanted to go into it achieve the best I can.

“I have always been a pretty confident sort of a lad and I have always tried to get the best out of myself.

“It would have been easy to get a licence and train dogs without doing all that I have done.

“All the people I have worked with, they are all different characters and have different methods and once I sat back and looked at it – I thought I set myself up to be successful.”

It is a family affair at the McGrath kennel in Brisbane as Michael's father John and son Slater are hands on with the small team as is his partner Kylie.

Slippery's Way is named after Slater’s nickname.

Having just ticked over two years of age, McGrath is hopeful the black dog will eventually get out to 600 metres.

He was initially set to be trained by Dart but when he was not living up to expectations, the veteran trainer suggested McGrath take him on as his first dog of his own to prepare.

“He wasn’t showing a hell of a lot at Casino and I gave him an eight-week break,” McGrath said.

“He came back and he started slipping really good at Capalaba. He has really gone on with it since then.

“I like to take my dogs to the beach and he has been down there often.”

As well as Slippery's Way, McGrath has an unraced bitch from an Aussie Infrared and Rumbling Away litter that he is hopeful of taking to the races within a month.

He also owns Raffa from the Aussie Infrared and Rumbling Away mating that Dart prepares.