CONFIDENCE is a major factor in achieving success in any sport and connections of Barooga Brett, who clocked Sandown's fastest time of 2018 in his Melbourne Cup Prelude win last Thursday night, believe that has played a role in their dog's sensational recent form.
Barooga Brett led throughout to win his Cup Prelude in 29.07sec, incredible figures for the 515m and eclipsing the mighty Poke The Bear's 29.12 posted in September.
Jamie Ennis, whose wife Brooke trains Barooga Brett, said: "We didn't have him early in his career but since he came into our kennels, he has gradually gained confidence over each of the 15 or 20 races he has had for us.
"We always thought he had the talent to clock in the low 'teens at Sandown, but to get under 29.10 was a bit of a surprise although when he recorded 18.58sec to the back straight on Thursday we knew he was flying.
"Having said that the track was in very good order and with no wind, conditions were ideal.
"Box one would be great in next Friday night's Melbourne Cup heats but more important is that wherever Barooga Brett draws he needs to get a clear run in the early stages.
"We will also have a dog called Belt Up Bubbs, who has won 12 of 32 races, in the Cup heats and he is as quick, if not faster, than Barooga Brett.
"Belt Up Bubbs was a luckless fourth to Poke The Bear in the Silver Bullet at The Meadows last week but his problem is that he weighs 39 kilograms.
"Belt Up Bubbs is such a big dog that getting room to move for the first 20 metres or so after he leaves the starting boxes is crucial.
"Box one would probably be more important for him than for Barooga Brett.''
Despite Barooga Brett's amazing time in the Cup Prelude, Ennis was reluctant to compare him with Tonk, with whom he and Brooke won Wentworth Park's Golden Easter Egg in 2014.
"Tonk won the Egg, worth $250,000, while Barooga Brett has just won a $6000 to the winner event, so it would be unfair to compare them,'' Jamie Ennis declared.
xxxx
POKE The Bear, with 29 wins from 50 starts, remains the dog to beat in the Melbourne Cup but his trainer Seona Thompson has a wonderful "second stringer'' in Black Opium, who took his record to six wins from six starts with a slick 29.37sec Prelude win at Sandown on Thursday.
NSW-owned greyhounds to take out Preludes were Miss Splendamiro in 29.37sec, Mystic Riot in 29.38sec and Milky Jones, at start number 101, in 29.60sec.
Mystic Riot, who led throughout in the $1 million to the winner GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park on October 20, put in a repeat all-the-way performance on Thursday night.
While Miss Splendamiro is being trained in Victoria by David Geall on behalf of her NSW owners, Mystic Riot (pictured) is trained at Llandilo, in Sydney's west, by Jodie Lagogiane.
Milky Jones, the surprise packet of the Cup Preludes, is raced by Harden (Riverina) breeder Graham Thurkettle, and is now in the kennels of Melbourne trainer Jeff Britton.
David Geall, who won the 2018 Golden Easter Egg with Up Hill Jill, was delighted with Miss Splendamiro's performance, pointing out that the greyhound has been in four different kennels in three states this year.
"She has been all over the place but has now won two from two for me and can only get better,'' Geall said.
"When she won on Thursday night Miss Splendamiro took a bit off her previous Sandown winning time and I was especially pleased with her first split of 5.09sec.
"I believe she can get down to 29.20 or 29.25 at Sandown so while this will be among the strongest Melbourne Cups on record, she is in with a chance.''
xxxx
Keybow's owner Kelvin Lean is popping the champagne corks with news that his dual Group 1 winner has just edged out Fernando Bale as Australia's most successful stud dog on a percentage winners' basis.
Up to November 7, Fernando Bale, justifiably ranked alongside Barcia Bale as our top current sire, had produced winners from 20 per cent of his runners.
But Friskey's win at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night, her 19th in 30 outings, lifted Keybow's record to 21 per cent, albeit with far fewer starters than Fernando Bale.
"Keybow is at Tony Wiseman's Sires On Ice Stud and is finally gaining recognition,'' Lean said.
"He has hardly got the cream of the crop as far as brood bitches are concerned but is getting a lot of winners, notably Friskey and Embye, who has won eight from 19 starts and has won over 515m at Bulli in 28.58.
"Breeders are curious because when Keybow was available for $900 a service he wasn't attracting much business, yet since we have put his fee up to $1760 he is a lot busier.''
