To say it’s been a bit frustrating for Cheryl Murray, would be like saying her dog Kong is small.
At a touch over 39 kilograms, nobody can call Kong small, and as for Cheryl enduring a little frustration, that too would be a massive understatement.
Around this time last year, things were look great for both Cheryl Murray and Kong. He had won 15 of 30 starts was in Free For All company at Wentworth Park, and was winning in the best of the night times.
A tilt at the Melbourne Cup was on the agenda, and on form it’s was a realistic goal.
But then … disappointment in a Melbourne Cup Prelude at Sandown on October 12.
“We took him down to get him ready for the big races, and he hit the rail and hurt his foot,” Cheryl explained. “That put him out of action for quite a while … it’s hard to believe it’s almost 12 months since then.
“I then nominated him for the Golden Easter Egg, but I had to scratch him out of that because we had a mishap at the hand slipping, and he hurt his toe nail.
“We’ve really had no luck with injuries.
“And then I got him right and we entered in the Maitland Cup heats, and he started, but did his back muscle.
“Yeah it’s been pretty frustrating.”
Asked whether injuries have anything to do with his size, Cheryl replied: “It probably does I suppose because he’s such a big dog, but he’s just such a nice dog. He’s a dream to handle, he’s a dream in the kennels, and he’s a real gentle giant. You just want to do what you can for him and keep giving him a chance.”
Tonight at Maitland in the regional qualifying heats of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase, Kong, a $15,000 purChase at the Richmond Riches Auction back in 2015, gets another chance.
He has drawn the three, directly outside the flying Victorian She’s Gifted, who has won her past four - three at the Meadows and once at Geelong - in succession, was also the winner of the Group 2 Queensland Futurity back in April, and importantly has been to Maitland before and been fast there, clocking 24.78s back in December last year.
It won’t be easy, but a one-two finish would see Kong advance to the Maitland Regional Final the following Thursday.
“He’s been trialling pretty well,” Cheryl said. “We’re just keeping our fingers crossed everything is right for this week.
“He had been going alright and been holding together, then when this race came up, we thought why not.
“It’s been a long haul with him, but he’s just such pleasure to have around. He’s one of the family, and you want the best for someone in your family. Hopefully he can get back to where he was one day.”
