If things went to plan, Neil Staines expected to have one of the leading contenders, if not the fastest qualifier out of the Temora heats of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase.
He has a leading contender heading into today Regional Final, he has the fastest qualifier, but things went anything but to plan.
Club Double, the brilliant young star of Neil’s kennel, was the one he expected to be ticking all the aforementioned boxes. Instead it was his kennelmate Bogan Way who set the time standard of 26.19s, and when he tackles the final today, he will be among the favourites. Club Double … will be back in the Neil’s kennel in Yass.
Club Double qualified for the final, but he won’t be running. He was suspended for 28 days for marring after finishing second to Champion Model.
“It was mixed emotions for me,” Staines said of the heats. “It was very gut-wrenching when that young pup did what he did.
“He has never looked like doing that before, and when I first kicked off with him, the first time I ever put him in with another dog - and it happens quite often – he came out of the boxes and realising there was another dog in the field, he looked inwards, looked out, and then took off, and he has never looked like doing it again.
“There’s nothing we can do about that now. We just have got to go back to the drawing board and try different things. I will get him to tighter tracks where he can get to the front and hopefully stay there.
“He might not do that again, and then again, if he does … we’re in trouble.”
Staines took Bogan Way and Bogan Bomber to Temora to contest the heats as well as Club Double, and the other pair both qualified for tonight’s final.
“All my plans revolved around that young dog (Club Double). I thought he’s my main chance he’s the fastest dog I’ve ever put a collar on, and I was thinking I’d go to the later ones (qualifying events), it’s close to home, and that way I’ll be able to have given him a bit more experience.
“I took him there in the lead-up and he had two looks at the joint, and I really set him for it, and Temora is a really good track too, with one turn. But, things just didn’t work out for him, but the other two, I couldn’t have been happier.
“They are both good dogs, there’s not much between them if they get a decent crack at it. They are ideally drawn out where they are (Bogan Way in box 8, Bogan Bomber in box six).
“Bogan Way has won at Wentworth Park in 30.1s and anybody would be happy to have a dog like him in their kennel. He’s a good money spinner … the whole litter is actually.
“You’ve got these two dogs in the Temora final, you’ve got Bogan Villa in the Dubbo final, and I qualified Bogan Doonie in the Nowra one next Monday.
“It’s very exciting times, and you just have to get involved. This race is just so good for the bush, everybody is getting a shot at it and it putting a spring back into your step. I’d love to get one through to the semi-finals.
”And imagine how great it would be if someone from the bush got through to the Grand Final.”
