It was a dark night at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday evening for anyone wearing a shade of blue, but 10 minutes across town, 24 hours later, and those Blues’ supporters were blue no more.
A night after losing the opening match of the rugby league State Of Origin to the Maroons, NSW sporting fans had something to smile about as the Blues were this time the victors in the Origin Greyhound Series at Albion Park.
In what turned out to be a thrilling three-race series, the NSW team eventually prevailed to win the Origin Shield, a trophy the Queenslanders had won in its inaugural running in 2018.
Queensland were hoping they would be able to snatch the opening race of the series, the Origin Distance event, with the home town team having the two favourites, Bago Bye Bye and Double Gee - the winner of this event 12 months ago.
But the NSW runners jumped even better than their rugby league counterparts the night before, and all four NSW dogs raced away early, with star stayer Poco Dorado leading the way, from her littermates Blue Moon Rising and Veloce Nero, with NSW teammate Little Digger in fourth.
Heading past the post the first time then up the back and Queenslanders were getting to see the ‘real’ Poco Dorado. She raced away and was never threatened, winning by 4¾ lengths from Veloce Nero, with Little Digger completing a NSW trifecta.
Poco Dorado – who had her first run over 700m in this event a year ago, but was never a contender that night – clocked a handy 41.79s in victory.
With that first victory in the locker, some sort of redemption for the rugby league the night before, was now Well underway.
But, it was a similar story in the Origin Sprint ... the unexpected.
NSW, led by Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey, was expected to secure the win and the shield in the Sprint, but it wasn’t to be.
Queenslander Dam Slippery made full use of the rails draw and led on settling from Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot. Back in the pack, Zipping Bailey was having more trouble getting through the field than Latrell Mitchell had with his Queensland opponents the night before.
But no such problems for the leader, and Dam Slippery doggedly held off the challenge of the NSW Chaser to score in 29.87s. Mystic Riot was a neck away second, with local Sliver Stunner running on into third.
So while it wasn’t the way most had expected, we headed to the match-race with the series all locked up with one win apiece, and it came down to Feral Franky for NSW and Infrared Star for the Queenslanders, racing for the Shield, the Series, and bragging rights.
Judging by the markets it was going to be a lopsided event, with Feral Franky long odds on, but the race proved anything but that.
Feral Franky, a noted tardy beginner, jumping on terms with Infrared Star, but then appeared to slip when getting into stride, and the Queenslander charged to the lead passing the post.
But Feral Franky steadied, balanced and then set out after the leader, and heading towards the top turn, he raced to the lead, and the Origin Shield was heading to NSW for the first time.
Feral Franky clocked 29.78s and had 2½ lengths to spare over his rival.
“He half stumbled when he came off the mat,” trainer Ray Smith said. “It made for an interesting race.”
Asked if he was relieved to have wrapped up the Origin win, Smith said: “Well, I can go back home now.”
* Photo Box 1 Photography/RQ.
