Hayley Wooler takes on new role in "family business"

By Jordan Gerrans

Hayley Wooler is regarded as a young gun in the North Queensland training ranks and it will only be fitting if her kennel can be competitive in a series by the same name.

The Townsville Greyhound Racing Club will host three heats of their feature Townsville Young Guns series on Wednesday evening at their Showgrounds-based track.

The 20-year-old conditioner - Hayley - is set to be a kennel to follow with NQ newcomer Eyes On Meg set to contest the third of the three heats.

The Wooler moniker is well-known in northern greyhound circles with Hayley’s father Andrew a long-time trainer and her mother Jo is a respected rehomer of greyhounds once their racing days have come to an end.

Hayley has recently taken her hand to training the families team of chasers and has hit a purple patch of late, preparing four winners since November 11.

Jo, who was awarded with the coveted Queensland Racing Integrity Commission Welfare Award at the 2020 TAB Queensland Greyhound awards, is a delighted mother with the way Hayley has taken to training since she took out her official licence.  

Hayley had long helped out Andrew breeding and training at their kennel before only recently becoming officially licensed as a trainer.

“We knew it was going to be a matter of time before she went into training as she got her handlers licence when we she was 15,” Jo recalls.

“She did that to help her dads kennel, as he had a couple of young ones at the time and we only had a team of three or four.

“Now, Hayley has stepped up to the plate and is training dogs.”

Hayley has nine victories to her name since embarking on the new journey in the industry.

Even she admits she has been somewhat shocked with his successful she has been in the short period of time.

Blue brindle bitch Saint Bluey has been Hayley’s kennel star so far, collecting two victories and a couple of other minor placings.  

“I was born into the greyhounds with mum and dad being in it for 30 years,” Hayley says.

“I am surprised with a few of them are going as well as they are.

“Little Saint Bluey, he has really grown a leg in the last month or two.”

The youngest Wooler has 16 race dogs in her Stuart-based kennel and while they are not an expensive team of dogs, they are certainly making their mark at Townsville.

“Hayley is getting there, we have a rag tag team of dogs at the minute,” Jo said.

“She has got a new ones coming through as well as some young ones, so hopefully they can find their feet in the coming months and it can be onwards and upwards.

“We do not buy pricey dogs; we take on give-aways and pick-up the occasional cheap one or two.”

Saint Bluey has quickly made her presence felt in NQ and kennel newcomer Eyes On Meg landed in Townsville through a similar connection.

The two bitches had the same owner in their days racing in Victoria, who offers their dogs to the Woolers first before putting them on the open market. 

The owners are keen for the Woolers to eventually rehome the dogs once they have finished racing in NQ.

Eyes On Meg is a two time winner in Victoria from 10 attempts, as well as running into the money on three other occasions.

She has drawn the green rug for the 380 metre assignment first-up in her new home.

The Townsville Young Guns series is for dogs 30 months or younger, with the Final to be run next week following Wednesday's heats. 

As Eyes On Meg is yet to turn two years of age, Hayley thinks the best is yet to come for the youngster.

“She has been here for three or four weeks and it will be her first start up here for us,” Hayley said.

“She has settled in really well and she is a beautiful kennel dog.

“She is only young so fingers crossed she can make her way through to the Final after her first look at the track.”

The in-form Saint Bluey will also aim to add to her record on Wednesday night, jumping from box two in a 643 metre staying event.

The dogs in the kennel get treated like part of the Wooler family.

“We look after our dogs, not like they are just a pet, not just a racing animal either, they are part of our family,” Jo said.

“We take great pride in rehoming dogs once they retire and we have recently retired four dogs who have all found homes, which is great.

“It is all hands on deck for every member of our family and we really have fun with it.”

Andrew has stepped away from training to focus on his breeding, with a young litter that is three months old working their way up.