Brisbane Cup success would be Jemma’s fairytale ending

By Pat McLeod

Like all great fairy tales, Jemma Daley’s has heroes, villains and her special ‘happily ever after’ ending.

Firstly, the storyline.

“My whole story is a fairytale,” the successful young Brisbane trainer said.

She prepares three starters for Thursday night’s heats of two Group 1 Finals at Albion Park.

“It’s the story of a young trainer, coming into greyhounds with no experience with them, although plenty of thoroughbred racing knowledge," she said. 

“Then to be fortunate enough to get the really good quality of dogs that we have at the moment, well that really is a fairytale.”

But, enter the villains.

“And, it is my fairytale,” Daley continues.

“Whether people want to knock that, well, I don’t really care what they think.

“I have worked my backside off for it. In my eyes Tarquin (her partner and fellow trainer Tarquin Neal) and I deserve whatever we get because we have worked really hard for it.

“Unfortunately, it appears that some people don't respect that hard work and what we have achieved."

The heroes?

They are her and Tarquin’s dogs, who have achieved plenty of success over the past 18 months.

In focus at the moment are Hara’s Herbie and Hara’s Skye, who will both contest heats of the $1 million Group 1 Brisbane Cup over 520 metres at Albion Park on Thursday night and Hara’s River, whose assignment is a heat of the $262,500 Group 1 Queensland Cup over 710 metres on the same program.

Daley's fairytale could be a short read because that perfect ending is a win in the Brisbane Cup.

“At the start of this year I was asked what was the race I really wanted to win,” she says.

“I said that while most people really wanted to win the Golden Easter Egg, the one that I would like to win is a Brisbane Cup, in my own backyard.

“That was the race that I had picked out and it was two weeks later that it was announced that it would be a million-dollar race.”

Like most, Daley has her goals and dreams, but she is also a realist and knows just how tough it will be just to make one of these Group 1 Finals, let alone be victorious.

“You always hope you will do well,” she said.

“But, to go into Thursday night’s heats believing (you will go well), I think you are kidding yourself because these are some of the best fields ever seen.

“I think everyone should be in the same category. No dogs can be ruled out. There are classy dogs in every race.”

Asked who of her three she fancies the most on Thursday night, Daley said that was akin to choosing a favourite child.

But, if you take the fairytale approach, then Hara’s Herbie is the stand out.

The Sennachie - Hara's Annie chaser shot to early stardom, winning the Group 2 Ipswich Gold Cup in November last year.

However, early this year he injured a stopper bone tendon in an Ipswich trial and was sidelined for four months.

‘Herbie’ has just had the two race starts since returning, but Daley says ‘he is ready’.

“We did give him plenty of time to recover because you don't muck around with injuries like that,” she said.

“I wasn't going to roll the dice with a dog like that.

“But, now, the dog is good. Although he has only had two starts back, he went 29.67 seconds in his first start back, so you can't say that he's not ready for it.

“He is where you would want him to be. He is happy within himself.

“He had no luck out of the boxes last week. He is starting to hit his fitness now and he is a dog that relishes being fresh.”

In the distance heats Daley isn’t concerned that Hara’s River will be contesting just her second 710 metre event.

“River will improve a heap on her first 700 metre race,” she said. “She will take a stack from last week.

“That run last week will have just topped her off. Her form is not black and white on paper over 700 metres, but the six will suit her because she likes a little bit of room out wide.

“Hopefully she can just get a good clear run across onto that corner and we hope for a bit of luck.”

While the Albion Park Group 1 Finals on Friday, July 7, are the high point of the current 2023 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival, Daley isn’t fazed if her fairytale has a while to go before that happily ever after ending.

“To come home on Thursday night with a dog in either group Final would be wonderful,” she says.

“But, as much as you hope and dream, you just want them to come home safely.

“There are plenty more chances ahead for them all.”