Minnie Finn suggests NSW supporters should hold their collective breath, and “Hope they jump.”
Minnie, who with her husband John train three NSW runners in the opening event of the Origin Greyhound Series, is well aware of how crucial the start will be for their team.
The Finns have Poco Dorado, Blue Moon Rising, and Veloce Nero in the Origin Distance event over 710m. They are joined by Jack Smith’s Little Digger in the NSW team, but many consider the locals have a great chance to win the opening ‘rubber’ in the series with the likes of favourite Bago Bye Bye.
“Out of our three, whoever has led when they have raced each other in the past, has won,” Minnie said. “They are not true 700m stayers. They are front-running stayers and they just haven’t got it at the end (of their races) to run around dogs.
“So, whatever leads out of our three, will finish in front.
“The main thing is they are all fit and well, and ready to go.”
Poco Dorado – who coincidently had her first run over 700m in the Origin last year - bounced back to form last start with an all the way win on her home track at Richmond in 41.73s. It was her first win in eight starts but that was a big positive.
“She is well boxed out where she wants to be,” Minnie said of the box seven draw. “Last week back to her home track she fired up and Hopefully tomorrow night she can come out and do the same.
“Last year she got a bit of a wildcard into the Origin series after she had produced some fast 600m runs (two wins at Dapto and one at Richmond), but she went awful in the Series.
“Blue Moon Rising needs to get on the bunny. He’s a front-running stayer too and not a dog who can run dogs down over the distance. He’s well boxed in the three, but he needs to come out.
“And Veloce Nero, she is probably not that well boxed out there (in box eight), she likes to be drawn inside, and the same as the others … she has to jump.”
It will be a big day and night for Minnie. With John they will take four dogs to Wentworth Park on Wednesday night. They will then head home to Cranebrook where those four, and John, will stay at home, while Minnie and the three stayers – plus Two Times Twice who will also race at Albion Park – will load up and head for Brisbane.
“John has to stay home and feed the dogs, so I’ll head up tonight,” Minnie said. “I don’t mind. I enjoy the driving. You get used to it.”
