He did it in 2019 supplying the win for the visitors when the series locked at 1-1, and now Jack Smith believes he has the dog to do it again, and help NSW retain the Greyhound State Of Origin series next month.
After the locals won the inaugural series in 2018, the following year NSW claimed victory after Poco Dorado won the staying race, Queenslander Dam Slippery evened the score winning the sprint, but Smith’s superstar Feral Franky stepped up and won the match race against Infrared Star.
Now Smith believes Jungle Deuce, the brilliant winner of the Brother Fox Final at Dubbo on Friday night, would be ideally suited in a two-dog race.
“I’m hoping they give me another crack,” Smith said of repeating the success of Feral Franky in 2019 at Albion Park this time with Jungle Deuce. “He would go well in a match race wouldn’t he.”
Both NSW and Queensland have named their squads for the series with some smart performers in both camps.
NSW has named some fast sprinters with Million Dollar Chase champion Handsome Prince, the brilliant Golden Easter Egg runner-up Wow, Bob Payne winner Zipping Kyrgios, Richmond Derby winner Incapacitated, and of course the new star on the scene Jungle Deuce.
Smith has already trialled some of his team at Albion Park including Jungle Deuce - as has Peter Lagogiane with his team - and like many of the NSW stars will head north for the Winter Carnival to firstly tackle the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic which is scheduled in the weeks leading into the June 17 Origin, then onto the Brisbane Cup in early July.
For the third straight year Terry Hill will captain the NSW team, while Queensland will be led by Ben Hannant.
Like previous editions the 2021 Origin Sprint and the 2021 Origin Distance will see 4 representatives plus one reserve from each state. Total prizemoney for both events will be $60,000 with $40,00 to the winners.
The third event will be the 2021 Origin Match Race with $25,000 to the winner and $5,000 to the runner-up.
In all a total of $150,000 will be on offer for the series.
A panel of experts from each state selected their squads and they were announced on Friday, with the final teams to be announced on Friday, June 11.
