A Bundaberg ‘Hayze’ continues to dominate Albion Park

By Pat McLeod

Bundaberg owner/breeders Tracy and Nathan Trigg continue to cast their ‘Hayze’ across racing at the state’s headquarters, Albion Park.

Littermates, Newton Hayze, the late bloomer, and star sibling Kahlo Hayze, both saluted with honours at ‘The Creek’, in a chilly night of racing on Thursday night.

Newton claimed a fifth grade final over 600m in 34.95sec, while two races later Kahlo took out a Best 8 (520m) in 29.75.

Significantly, the talented pair are not kennelled together for their assault on metro racing.

Kahlo Hayze, whose impressive form line currently sits at 30 starts for 17 wins and five placings for $197,150 in prize money, races out of the trophy-heavy kennels of Sandra Hunt, at Atkinsons Dam, in the Somerset region west of Brisbane.

While the slightly more ‘needy’ Newton Hayze (seven starts for four wins, two placings and $37,245 in prizemoney), has the run of trainers Myra Griffiths and husband Matt Hamilton’s home at Ferny Hills, just north of Brisbane.

“Yes, he still sleeps in our bed,” Griffiths confirmed after Newton’s two-and-a-half-length win over Mr. Springtime (Sharyn Jackson), with Pretty Cindy (Brad Belford), third.

“I am so happy with that run tonight.

“It is only his second go over 600 metres and he does seem to like the longer distance.

“I think he has been lacking a little bit of confidence, but now he has his confidence back.

“I am happy to keep going at this distance and would like to see eventually if he could perform over 700 metres.”

Newton recently has proven he is far from the ‘middle child’ of the litter, with victory in the prestigious Mick Byrne Memorial Final (520m) on ‘Cups Night’ at the pointy end of the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.

Meanwhile, Kahlo Hayze continues to prove he is a genuine heavy hitter in the Brisbane sprint ranks with his Thursday night win over Selena Zammit’s Cluster with Michael Lalicz’s Dino Way third.

After a successful Winter Carnival, Travis Elson is targeting his exciting Fernando Bale x Nan's Magic litter towards some away-from-home pickings.

Two of that litter, Danger Zone and Super Scrub, won 5^th Grade heats (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night, and will now be aimed towards the $112,500 Townsville Cup (498m), with the heats August 30 and final September 6.

“The Winter Carnival was probably one of the best carnivals we have had for our kennel,” Elson said.

“We won a lot of good races with these young blokes coming through.

“They weren't probably up to the cup level, but certainly were up to the other feature races which were a tier down.

“The money was great – a really good carnival.

“We then picked up a kennel virus and we have just bought them back from that.

“We have The Nationals coming up, but these dogs have got good early speed, so we might look at a Townsville trip for that cup.

“They're starting to mature a bit now and aren't quite two-and-a-half years old.

“So, I think they have a little bit more improvement in them.

“The two who won tonight are certainly in the frame for a trip to Townsville.”

After 50 years in greyhound racing, Pamela Field, is still delighted to be surprised.

“I am cold and in shock,” the veteran trainer said after More Than Money had taken the honours in a sharply run 3rd/4th Grade event (520m) at an ‘Arctic’ Albion Park on Thursday night.

“We came here hoping that he would get a place tonight, but didn't expect him to win.

“He continues to improve.

“The box draw (Box 1) certainly helped tonight, but I thought the two (Trapper Tears – Martina Kirillidis) would go straight past him, but he didn't.

“More Than Money is a strong dog and showed that tonight.

“Whether he can step up to the next level, who knows.

“You put them in the boxes and you hope for the best.

“We thought that he would be a good, competitive dog and, so far, that is what he is turning out to be.”

Red Dirt Road (Tim Britton) continues to show that he may be more than a bread-and-butter stayer with a determined win in a 710m Free For All on Thursday night.

The Space Star x Shiny Bright chaser held off a fast-finishing Irish Millie (Stephen Whyte) with another Britton runner, First Picked, third.

“This dog is just starting to find his feet,” Britton said after Red Dirt Road’s win.

“He will run 700 metres on his ear.

“We bred this litter and he started out probably the slowest of them, but always indicated that he would stay.

“He tore a back muscle early in his race career and it took a while to get him up to 700 metres, but he is certainly finding his stride now.

“That is three wins in a row, so I'm pretty happy with that.

“His brother (Unreal Speed – 11 starts for eight wins) is better than him, but is off injured at the moment with an Achilles problem.

“I wasn't sure how Red Dirt Road would go tonight.

“At this stage I don’t know how fast he can be, but that time tonight (41.96) was good.

“What I do know is that he will race this distance without a worry and, on a heavy track, I would definitely put my money on him.”

The other highlights on Thursday night included a double by Tamborine trainer Sean Galloway.

Springtime Gold saluted for Galloway in Race 2, a Masters 5^th Grade (520m), and former group performer Springtime Jet returned to the top of the podium, in Race 12, also a Masters 5^th Grade (520m).