By Jordan Gerrans
Sandra Hunt has high hopes for the future of exciting dog Bust A Move and believes a step up in distance at Ipswich on Thursday evening will put him on the right path.
At 30-months-old, Bust A Move is only lightly-raced, going around 17 times for seven victories and six other minor placings.
As Hunt - a previous winner of the Brisbane Leading Trainer trophy - explained, she has taken it slow and controlled with Bust A Move as he has suffered injuries to both his pin muscles earlier on.
“I have taken him along steady as he has had quite a few issues over the time,” she said.
“He is a lovely dog and enthusiastic despite all that, he just wants to please you.
“That is half the battle sometimes when you have a dog with a good attitude.”
From a Keybow and Invergarry Lady litter, the black dog has won six of his last nine races between the trips of 331 and 395 metres.
He will step up to 520 metres at Ipswich on Thursday evening in a no metro wins event, with an eye to becoming a more consistent runner at Albion Park at a metropolitan level when racing resumes at Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club.
The Atkinsons Dam-based trainer believes Bust A Move has the ability to be competitive at that level.
Bust A Move has been a regular Wednesday and Sunday winner at Albion Park with the kennel hopeful to also win races on feature Thursday’s through 2022.
“That is where we hope he will end up,” she said.
The experienced Hunt is making a comeback of training of sorts to Ipswich this week after not racing her dogs for the best part of three weeks.
She has nine from her kennel engaged across three days at the track.
Hunt usually races her team at Albion Park but with the premier Queensland dog track out of action, she has focused in on Ipswich.
Bust A Move comes from a successful litter which includes Keyed Alike, First Slip, Elswyk Rocky and Electric Lady, who have all won three or more races in their careers.
Hunt thinks Bust A Move will appreciate the extra distance on Thursday as he jumps from box two in the ninth event on the program.
“I have been working him up and I am pretty sure he will get to 520 metres – the rest of the litter have,” Hunt said.
“From what he has shown me, he has been running to the line strong enough to give him a go at that extra distance.
“For Thursday night racing when we are back to Albion Park 520 metres is the way to go.
“We will start this week and see how he goes.
“Hopefully he can get out and lead and keep going.”
Bust A Move raced up to 520 metres at just his second career start at Ipswich – when he was trained by Brent Kline – but Hunt believes that is not a solid guide for how he will run on Thursday night as he was inexperienced at that stage.
Bust A Move is raced by Craig Mathieson, who has brought a handful of new connections into the greyhound code.
“A lot of them are first time owning dogs so they are having a good time with him,” Hunt said.
“Craig has involved his mates in the dog, I think there is four other guys in him as well.”
Hunt also has Umagico engaged on Thursday evening, a white fawn bitch who has won twice from 28 career starts.
Umagico may just become a pet in the near future as she is not regularly winning but she is still loving her racing.
“She will enjoy herself; she likes racing and going to the races, she is always wagging her tail,” Hunt said.
“She is a happy dog that likes to run.”
The Hunt kennel have been a strong one in the Sunshine State for some time, the team claiming the honours as Brisbane Leading Trainer and Brisbane Brood Bitch of the Year (Solid Skye) in 2011 and 2012.
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