TZOUVELIS SWAPS SPRINT FOR STAYERS AT NATIONALS

By Isaac Murphy

From eight months out with a career threatening injury to Queensland National Distance Champion, it’s been quite the journey for Miss Gingin and trainer Tommy Tzouvelis who was with her for every bump in the road to achieve their goal.

“It’s been a rollercoaster ride with her overcoming 236 days off the scene with injury, I was just rapt to get her back to the track, now we’re off to Nationals, unbelievable,” Tzouvelis said.

The race turned into a two-dog war between Jeff Crawford’s Radar Gunn out of box one and Miss Gingin in the pink, but it was the latter who got the best of the start and pulled out too much late to book her spot to Cannington.

“It was good to see her get out in front, that’s the first time in her Queensland career she’s cleared them like that she was always going to be tough to roll after that,” Tzouvelis said.

“It was a hell on a race Radar Gunn is only a young dog and hopefully these two can push each other to greater heights in the future.”

Tzouvelis wants to make every day count before the Distance Final, with plenty of room for growth for the fledgling stayer.

“That was only her third 710 metre race and I still think she’s probably only at about 85% fitness, to hold off a dog like Radar Gunn late was a big effort,” Tzouvelis said.

“I’m Incredibly excited for Cannington, none of these Group One’s are easy especially that Nationals, but if we can get that extra 15% out of her in the next two weeks, they’ll know she’s there.”

It’s not Tzouvelis’ first rodeo having won the State Sprint Final last year and while he can’t wait to catch up with some old friends the trip is all about the result.

 “We had a fantastic experience with Maurice Minor being involved in the sprint last year, not only the chance to race, but rub shoulders and swap ideas with some of the best people in the industry,” he said.

“At the end of the day we’re there to do one thing and that is to bring home the National Distance Championship for Queensland, I can’t wait.”

Racing Queensland webnews   August 9