Stage Set For An Exciting Puppy Classic

Trainers of five of the eight starters in the $40,000 to the winner Nowra Puppy Classic are satisfied with their finalists' box draws which suggests we are in for a thriller at the Pinebowl on Saturday night.

David Smith's Got The Feature is fastest qualifier after winning his heat from box six in 29.48 while kennelmate Tarawi Rocky's 29.55 equalled Rockstar Apollo's second quickest qualifying time.

Got The Feature has box seven on Saturday and Smith has always preferred his slick sprinter drawn wide, while Tarawi Rocky has a near perfect draw.

"Got The Feature has drawn nicely while as far as Tarawi Rocky goes, I wanted him positioned inside Tommy Kade, who is such a wide runner,'' Smith said.

"With Tommy Kade in box three, Tarawi Rocky should get his chance,'' Smith said.

At first glance Tommy Kade and Coin Model seem awkwardly placed in boxes three and six respectively but their trainer Andy Lord remains unperturbed.

"Although Tommy Kade is a wide runner he handles inside boxes well because he is usually such a good beginner,'' Lord said.

"He won the New Sensation final at Wentworth Park on April 8 from box four and has had box three on four occasions and won every time.

"Coin Model's run in her heat was sensational, even though her 29.72 was the slowest of the four winners.

"She had box four in her heat but like all of her breed, they relish an outside alley so I'm very happy seeing her in box six.''

Rockstar Apollo, who shared second fastest heat time of 29.55 with Tarawi Rocky, fared worst in the Puppy Classic box draw.

The Shaun Evans-trained dog is an inside draw specialist but after winning his heat from box one he has drawn eight in the final.

The prized rails draw has gone to the Neil Staines-trained Luna Country, who had box seven when a fading second in Coin Model's heat.

"Luna Country probably needed box one, or maybe box two, to have any hope of winning this race,'' Staines said.

"Whether she is good enough remains to be seen but the inside alley gives her a chance.

"She carved across hard towards the rails when she finished second in her heat from box seven.

"I train Country">Luna Country">Country for veteran Boorowa breeder Jimmy Johnson, for whom I also trained Country Rebel, the grandmother of this Nowra Classic finalist.

"Country Rebel was a length away from being a top notcher but she won 14 races between 2009 and 2011.

"Like every greyhound that Jimmy breeds and rears, Luna Country arrived at my kennels in immaculate condition.

"I've been training dogs for Jimmy Johnson for the past 15 years and nobody raises greyhound puppies any better than he does.''

At journalist Albert Gleeson's funeral in 2021, seven of his mates decided to buy a greyhound puppy and race it in his memory.

Last Monday at Grafton, the aptly-named Albert's Memory made a stunning race debut, overcoming a slow start to easily win a 450m maiden race in a nippy 25.60.

With a big team of Albert Gleeson's pals trackside, Albert's Memory was always going to be well backed and along with the owners' combined "commission'' of $8800 the dog firmed from $2 to $1.50.

Albert's Memory's trainer Reg Gardoll said: "He was eligible for bonus races in Queensland but it was decided to launch his career at Grafton because Albert Gleeson's mother Maxine would be able to attend.

"This dog can run, his only problem being he tends to be tardy out of the boxes.

"But if I can get that trait out of him he will turn into a handy greyhound.''