Greyhound racing can be such an individual sport, and while each competitor in Thursday night’s Origin Greyhound Series will be chasing the wins and the accompanying prizemoney for their connections, there is a “real team feel “ among those selected to represent NSW.
That is the consensus of Adam Crouch whose kennel star Jamella Jet will be one of the four NSW runners contesting the Origin Sprint event at Albion Park tomorrow.
Another quartet will contest the Origin Distance event, and Feral Franky will be the NSW runner in the Origin Match-Race. Whichever state wins at least two events will be crowned Origin champions.
“It’s really cool. It’s got that sort of real team feel about it. It’s really exciting,” Adam said on Tuesday. “We’ve been in some big races and you’re obviously excited about those occasions, but this whole thing, the concept, it’s great, and you feel honoured to be representing NSW.
“We were in the event last year (with stayer Big Butters) but I was in Hawaii so I couldn’t be there, but I was definitely making sure I was around for it this year.
“Even the dog’s owner (David Booth), he’s from Tasmania so he doesn’t really get the whole NSW-Queensland thing, but he does understand the enormity of Origin and he’s thrilled that we’re involved.”
Crouch and several members of the NSW team will be at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night cheering for the Blues, then hopefully after a NSW victory, they can complete the double the following night.
Two members of the Blues head off on a ‘roadtrip’ on Tuesday evening.
“Pete (Lagogiane) and I are driving up tonight,” Adam said. “It will give us an extra day to settle in which should do him (Jamella Jet) the world of good.
“Last week I took him up to trial, and left at 4am and we hit a bit of traffic coming into Brisbane, and then we missed a few turn offs and got a bit lost in the city. We got there about an hour later than we were hoping to, and he didn’t get a chance to really stretch his legs. We got to the track at about 5.45pm and he trialled at about 6.10pm. It wasn’t really ideal.
“All things considered we were really happy with the time (29.84s). His first section was, as always, pretty tardy, but he always improves at least a few lengths after having a look at a track and, especially considering the circumstances, we’re pretty happy with things.
“He pulled up really well. The trip didn’t knock him about one bit. I couldn’t be happier with him. We plan to get up there tomorrow (Wednesday) morning some time, and having nearly two full days of rest and being settled, will make all the difference and do him the world of good.”
Peter will be taking his NSW representative Mystic Riot with Adam and Jamella Jet. The pair have history. In the inaugural GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase last October, Mystic Riot won, and Jamella Jet finished second.
“Hopefully we can go one-two again this year in the Million Dollar Chase … but the other way around this year.
“Hey hopefully we can go one-two on Thursday night in the Origin.
“It’s good to have the company driving up as it’s a long drive. And as you know Pete likes to chat, so we’ll be right.”
Jamella Jet has drawn box four and Mystic Riot the three for the Sprint event. Favourite for the race is another NSW runner, Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey who has drawn the two. The other NSW runner in the Sprint is Frank Hurst’s Good Odds Harada, who has drawn box 8.
