The ‘J Factor’ is again making greyhound headlines

By Pat McLeod

The ‘J Factor’ is still creating headlines in greyhound racing.

The exploits of brilliant Queensland speedster Jay Is Jay were again front and centre at Capalaba on Sunday when the John Jeffrey owned and trained-Cash Handy won the annual Jeffery Jones Celebration Of Life Final at the suburban Brisbane straight track.

The popular feature honours the life of Jeff Jones, the well-respected former trainer and great greyhound racing man, who passed away in 2018.

Jones was also a founding member and past president of the QGBOTA and was heavily involved with the Capalaba club for many years.

Jones, of course, is the inspiration behind the naming of Jay Is Jay, the Queensland sprint superstar trained by his daughter Selena Zammit and owned by his wife Lillian.

He owned and trained Jay Is Jay’s mother Kealoah.

Sunday’s winning trainer John Jeffrey said the ‘J Factor’ had been a theme in the lead-up to the race for Selena and husband, and prominent trainer, Mick Zammit.

“Selena and Mick told me at the presentation that before the race they had believed I would win because of my name and the 'J Factor',” Jeffrey said.

Cash Handy jumped brilliantly and then finished strongly to post a winning time of 19.64 seconds with the Casey Dargusch duo of Kyoto and Mandanda running second and third, respectively.

Jeffrey’s other runner, Cool Bananas was placed fifth.

“I thought Cash Handy was the better chance of my two,” Jeffrey said.

“He jumped as well as he ever has and is always strong to the line. It’s a deserved win for him because he is such a consistent dog.

“He is no superstar, but will always give you his best – a good, solid dog, who, if he is on the bunny, is always a major threat.”

Jeffrey, who owns the iconic Postman’s Ridge greyhound facility at the bottom of the Toowoomba range, bought Cash Handy as an eight-month-old pup with his seven littermates and mother Athletic Lee.

To date, Cash Handy has had 47 starts for 14 wins and 14 placings for a return of $45,560.

He said he had picked out Sunday’s feature after Cash Handy had been off the track for a ‘freshen up’.

“I saw this race on the calendar and because he is still a fifth grader I thought it would suit,” Jeffrey said.

“This race was a very good field, quite strong, but I was fairly confident. He (Cash Handy) is such a consistent dog. I thought he would go well after a bit of a break and he did.

“He’ll go back to Albion Park on Thursday night and for him after that? Well, we will worry about that then.”

There was a contingent of Jeff Jones’ family at Sunday’s feature race including Lillian and Selena.

Lillian boosted the prizemoney for the feature race. 

She added to Racing Queensland’s prizemoney an extra $4,550 for first, $1,400 for second, $700 for third, $350 for fourth and $100 for fifth to eighth.

She also donated a free service to Jay Is Jay for the winning owner (John Jeffrey).

Jeffrey said he would ‘definitely’ be using the service.

“Just look at his (Jay Is Jay’s) race record – a serious animal,” Jeffrey said.

“Also, I have always been a believer in making the most of an opportunity. So, yes, I will select one of my bitches and we will see what happens.”