WA greyhounds run hot at Winnellie Park

CROCODILE Tim winning the Darwin Cup has a nice ring to it, even if the moniker belongs to a West Australian

Gossip Park hot on the heels of leader Night Harmony at Winnellie Park. PICTURE: Justin Kennedy

CROCODILE Tim winning the Darwin Cup has a nice ring to it, even if the moniker belongs to a West Australian.

Tim Mullany, a baby-faced wildlife park owner with a mop of hair, joined fellow Sandgroper greyhound trainer Brian Jacobson in stealing the show on Darwin Cup heat night on Sunday.

They combined to win three of the four heats, with Darwin’s leading trainer Jamie Hosking breaking the interstate monopoly when Arnhen Villain clocked the night’s fastest time.

Three of the eight dogs in Sunday night’s Cup final at Winnellie Park will be locals.

Hosking also prepared heat-one runner-up Crystal’s Way, while Chris Blackman’s It’s Your Money placed second behind Jacobson’s Eisenhower.

Eisenhower joins kennelmate Miracle in the final.

Mullany’s Lorus Time, Victorian Stephen Whyte’s 2014 winner Clash of Kings and Queenslander Tom Tzouvelis’ 2015 runner-up Miss Jackpot round out the field.

Mullany, of Mandurah, booked Lorus Time a flight home after his dog aggravataged a right tendon injury trialling at Winnellie two weeks ago.

But a change of heart — dependant on drawing the red box — led to him winning his second race after Night Harmony saluted in a non-Cup race.

“He was the best chance we brought up originally ... (and) probably the main reason we came up,” Mullany said.

“I’ve had the worst luck here. I’ve spent two weeks here, but couldn’t get a dog to win a race nowhere, then tonight I have two from two, so if we can keep it going, great.

“Hopefully we get him right for next week, but it will all come down to the box draw, because if he draws out wide he’ll take care of whatever’s on the inside — let’s put it that way.”

There were some high-profile scalps, with Whyte’s defending champion Superfonic, Maurice McArdle’s Not Like Tommy and Youi, and Graeme Ferns’ Elite Effort missing out.

But Jacobson was confident about his dogs, particularly Eisenhower, regardless of who they were against.

That was why he made the 4000km road trip from Northam with his five-year-old daughter Malou.

“Eisenhower is the one I reckon will win it,” Jacobson said. “We’ve got a good standard we brought up — it’s not like we brought up second-raters. The (Winnellie) track’s real good.

“And I couldn’t wish for a better preparation. ”

The other winners were Sonya Seubert’s Turning Tables, Hosking’s You Say So — a gift from Whyte — Little Vossy and Our Josie, Richard Smith’s Oliver’s Guess, and Steele Bolton’s Left Outside.