Albion Park gears up for feature double-header

By Alex Nolan

Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club boss Luke Gatehouse and premier race caller John Brasch are gearing up for a two-day Golden Greys Summer Carnival extravaganza at headquarters.

Albion Park hosts four heats of the Group 2 Box 1 Photography Golden Sands for middle-distance chasers on Wednesday afternoon.

The feature double-header rolls on 24 hours later with heats of the Group 2 Queensland Derby, the Bogie Leigh Futurity, and the highly anticipated New Year’s Trophy final.

Gatehouse said it had been a successful start to the carnival both on and off the track.

A bumper crowd was at Albion Park last Thursday to witness the TAB Middle Distance Challenge Final and the Christmas Stocking Final for fifth-grade chasers and the CEO anticipates things will only get better as the carnival rolls on to Group 1 Gold Bullion night in February.

“Last week was berserk and one of the most fun nights we’ve had for a long time outside of a feature race meeting,” Gatehouse said.

“We couldn’t be happier with how the carnival is taking shape.”

A mix of both local and interstate talent headlines four heats of the Queensland Derby for the boys and two heats of the Futurity for the girls.

“There are obviously less of them in the Futurity but there is no easy heat when you’ve got the likes of Kelsey Bale, who is a superstar, lining up,” Gatehouse said.

“We’re really looking forward to two great days of racing.”  

Brasch will be behind the microphone for both meetings and has been busily scouring the form to try and steer punters into a winner.

He identified a couple of up-and-coming greyhounds based on the Northern Rivers as runners to watch in the Derby and Futurity, restricted to greyhounds aged 30 months or less.  

“Dolly Dutton draws a wide box for the first time and we don’t know how she’ll handle it, but I went for her over (recent South Australian Oaks winner) Yahiro Bale in Heat 2 of the Futurity because I like to see them have a run at the track,” Brasch said.

“In the first heat of the Derby I am with Starline Express with Cash Master coming out of the race.”

The New Year’s Trophy pits together two of the likeliest candidates for 2022 Queensland Greyhound of the Year in Orchestrate and Shipwreck, with emerging talent Hello Mike thrown in the mix.

“It’s a clash of the up-and-comer versus the established stars,” Gatehouse said.

Hello Mike recorded the equal seventh-fastest 520m time at the famous ‘Creek’ when he won a fourth-grade event on December 15 in a sizzling 29.49 seconds.

Shipwreck’s feats throughout 2022 have been well documented, including his Origin Greyhound Series triumph and two impressive interstate victories at Wentworth Park and The Meadows.

Orchestrate enters the race as the sole Group 1 winner this year, after he claimed the Sky Racing Brisbane Cup during the winter carnival and Brasch says he is leaning his way.

Add in the likes of He’s So Cool, Feel The Beat, Werina Express and He’s All Purpose, and the New Year’s Trophy shapes as one of the best non-Group 1 events run at the track this year.  

“You’ve probably got two finalists for Queensland Greyhound of the Year in the race,” Brasch said.

“Orchestrate is the Group 1 winner, but Shipwreck has beaten subsequent Group 1 winners.

“Shipwreck has been hard to catch for me, so I am siding with Orchestrate to beat Hello Mike and Shipwreck.”

JOHN BRASCH’S GREYHOUNDS TO WATCH

WEDNESDAY

• Race 9 – N8 TIMES THREE

THURSDAY

• Race 2 – N8 DOLLY DUTTON
• Race 3 – N6 STARLINE EXPRESS
• Race 9 – N7 ORCHESTRATE
• Race 10 – N5 LITTLE ZEPHYR