Trainer in hot form for Qld Winter Carnival

HALL of Fame trainer Tony Brett is building a strong team of greyhounds heading towards the 2019 Queensland Winter Carnival.

DOGWATCH

HALL of Fame trainer Tony Brett is building a strong team of greyhounds heading towards the 2019 Queensland Winter Carnival.

On Tuesday at Ipswich, Brett provided the quinella in the time honoured John Young Memorial.

Bad Benny led all the way for an impressive five-length victory over Regal Recall and Red Hot Gossip for Casey Dargusch, three and a half lengths away in third.

The race was run in a blistering time of 30.21.

Bad Benny (Barcia Bale-Oya Nine Wonwon) is a former NSW chaser recently purchased by big spending Ipswich resident Len Antonio, who was not at Ipswich on Tuesday to see the win. He instead tuned to the radio from his St Andrews Hospital bed at Ipswich.

The win would have given Len a great kickalong. Bad Benny now has five Queensland runs for three wins, a second and a fourth taking his career record to four wins from 12 starts.

He had clocked 30.04 in his first look at Albion Park and 30.45 at Ipswich.

Brett will now aim Bad Benny and kennelmate Painted Picture towards the Young Guns at Albion Park with the heats being run next Thursday night. Painted Picture was beaten at Ipswich at a long odds-on quote over 431m on Tuesday.

Painted Picture, who already won the Eric Thomson Memorial Maiden at Albion Park in October last year along with the Christmas stocking in December, will have a hit-out at Ipswich tomorrow night over the 431m in preparation for next Thursday night.

Another Brett trained sprinter to watch is Charming Chaos, who resumed a winner at Albion Park last Monday night in the Sue Burley Memorial over 520m clocking a fast 30.07.

The greyhound had been sidelined since August last year with a hock injury.

"I am over the moon with his run,'' Brett said. "To see him do that after such a serious injury and a long time off the scene exceeded our expectations. He's pulled up well and provided he holds up we will head towards some of the sprint races over the upcoming winter carnival."

Hara's Dazza is another recent acquisition to the Brett kennel for owner Tony Glover.

This dog can be followed over a middle to staying distance. He won a 520m race at Albion Park last Thursday and will also be given its chance in some of the features during the winter months.

Auction runner to watch

WITH the Ipswich auction series in late March, a greyhound worth following could be Galway Johann trained by Kev Galloway.

On Tuesday at the Showgrounds, Galway Johann was first up since early January and led all the way to win a fifth grade in 30.23 scoring by 8 3/4 lengths.

Galway Johann is a winner of six from 22 starts.

The son of Magic Sprite-Skie's Size showed he has come back in great style for this preparation. He's normally knowing a back marker early and strong finisher.

Being fresh, he changed his racing pattern around to go box to wire all the way.

State of Origin battle

THE 2018 Queensland Greyhound of the year function will be held at the Kedron-Wavell Services Club tonight.

As far as the race for Greyhound of the Year title is concerned it's a real State of Origin battle - Queensland v New South Wales v Victoria.

The two Queenslanders vying for the title are Ipswich dual track record holder Champagne Sally, trained by Ray Burman, and Del Rey, trained by Tom Tzouvelis.

Champagne Sally had 39 starts in 2018 for 10 wins with eight wins at Albion Park. Her biggest win of the year was the Group 2 Top Gun stayers at the Meadows in Melbourne.

Del Rey raced 50 times through the year for 11 wins. She won the Group 3 Launceston Cup in January and Gold Coast Cup at Albion Park in October. She was also a finalist in the Group 3 Ipswich Cup.

From the northern rivers of NSW, the Evelyn Harris trained raising 5yo evergreen sprinter Cosmic Bonus raced up and down the eastern seaboard having 40 starts for 19 wins throughout the year.

Highlights included the Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup, Grafton Sprinters Cup and the Masters Meteor on Million Dollar Chase night at Wentworth Park. He also placed second in both the Ipswich and Brisbane cups.

Hasten Slowly, from Victoria, is trained by former Queenslander Angela Langton. Hasten Slowly had 12 wins from 35 starts for the year.

He started only six times in Queensland during 2018 winning the Group 1 Brisbane Cup in December and the Group 3 Flying Amy Classic and placed in the Group 1 Winter Cup.

Under the conditions for the Queensland Greyhound of the Year award, for a greyhound to be eligible it must of had six starts in Queensland for the year.

An international or interstate owned or bred greyhound is eligible as a recipient of the Queensland Greyhound of the Year.

Greyhounds should be judged on performances on all tracks throughout Australia with emphasis placed on performances at Group, Feature and Metropolitan level.

Richmond focus

QUEENSLAND interest at Richmond greyhounds in NSW tonight features Dam Slippery for Brett Hazelgrove contesting the final of the Richmond Oaks.

She has drawn Box 3 with the race being run at 7.57pm Queensland time.

Dam Slippery finished a close second in the National Futurity at Wentworth Park in February.

Best bets

IPSWICH races in the twilight timeslot today with 10 races from 2.47pm.

Best bet is race 7 Box 2 - Bonne Chance trained by Craig Schmidt. She is going for three on the bounce.

Ipswich races tomorrow night with a 10 race card from 5.22pm.

Best bet is Race 6 Box 4 - Painted Picture trained by Tony Brett should atone for defeat here on Tuesday　

Brett should get a double with Race 9 Box 2 She's A Sort.

Originally published as Trainer in hot form for Qld Winter Carnival