Wooler has Rocky Anniversary hopes for Hara’s Cookie

By Wayne Heming

Aspiring young trainer Hayley Wooler believes her latest kennel addition, Hara’s Cookie, is racing more like a young dog than a veteran of four years.

She says he can test his younger rivals in his heat of the Anniversary Cup at Rockhampton on Wednesday night.

Owned by Tony Glover, Hara’s Cookie (box five) can burst through the $100,000 prizemoney barrier with his 17th career victory at his 52nd start.

“I was just looking at that (prizemoney) actually, he is quite close to it,” Wooler said.

Wooler said when the blue dog arrived from (trainer) Jemma Daley, he was in a ‘brilliant condition’.

“He’s lightly-raced (for his age) and an all-round brilliant dog,” Wooler said.

“He is perfect in the kennels, professional at the track, knows what he is doing and nothing seems to bother him.”

Hara’s Cookie’s biggest rival could be the squeeze box, but Wooler says he still has the speed to avoid any early trouble.

“As long as he gets around that first turn, he will push through the field. The 510 metres won’t be a problem for him," Wooler said. 

Hara’s Cookie has won seven races over 500 metres or longer, so he should be in the finish if he gets a clean start.

His win in the Golden Oldies Masters Final at Albion Park in January was first-class and he has since recorded an easy win at Townsville for Wooler.

Wooler will take eight dogs on the 10-hour trip south to Rockhampton - three of them – Hara’s Cookie (heat one), Blazing Infrared (heat two) and Total Media Ban (heat three) - contesting the heats of Anniversary Cup.

She said Blazing Infrared had surprised her by winning over 380 metres at Townsville last week and was not without a chance in his heat.

Wooler, who only recently turned 23, has stamped herself as a bright young, up-and-coming North Queensland conditioner.

It is not a major surprise given her parents and grandparents have been involved in the sport for almost five decades.

Wooler's mum, Jo, is still re-homing retired greyhounds.

“She is a very keen learner and she loves the dogs,” Jo Wooler said about her daughter. 

“She prepares each dog individually and makes sure they are fit, healthy and well-adjusted when she puts them on the track."

Wooler has some 35 dogs on her property at Stuart, a rural coastal suburb of Townsville.

She secured her handler’s licence when she was 15 and has only held a trainer’s licence for the last few years.

Last year she showed her potential to challenge the best trainers in Queensland by preparing over 100 winners.

Her season total stood at 116 in 2024, eventually finishing runner-up to another training newcomer, Bobbie-Jean Chaffey, who beat her in the trainer's premiership.

Wooler is like a sponge around other trainers.

“We always thought 100 winners a season was a realistic goal,” Wooler said. 

“(100 winners) didn’t come along until last year, but hopefully we’ve set the bar and can equal or better that tally this year.”