When cousins Josh Board and Jay Opetaia walk out to box Spring Meteor and Street Of Dreams respectively in Saturday night’s Group 3 Ladbrokes Brother Fox Final, it will be the high point of their lifelong relationship with one another and the dogs.
Josh, the son of Scott and grandson of Greg, was born into the greyhound game 22 years ago, and is the latest in the line of Board’s to handle the collar and lead.
“Josh has always helped me since he was a little fella and it’s been great having him around the place. He’s like a best mate and we have always done the dogs together,” Scott said.
While Jay, three years younger than Josh, has been his shadow at the Board kennels ever since he could walk.
“Jay was always out here on weekends when he was little, then he got his drivers licence so he was out every day. He’s an apprentice plumber now so as soon as he finishes work, he’ll head out to work with the dogs. Out of the sewer and into the Brother Fox final hey,” Scott laughed.
The duo only officially joining forces with Scott in the last few years to help run their greyhound training, breeding and rearing operation on 120 acres at Spring Hill.
Now set to step onto the loam together for the very first time in a feature final on Saturday night, with two chances to claim Dubbo's most famous race.
“This is our home track, so if either of us won the Brother Fox, it’d be massive,” Opetaia said.
“I handled all the dogs in the Heats and got as much of a thrill when Meteor was burling out in front as I did when Street Of Dreams came from behind. It doesn't matter whose name they are in, we all put in the work together,” he added.
That sentiment Echoed by the younger Board, who had Spring Patriot in his name when he finished second in the same race last year.
“It’d be massive really, just enormous if we won it. Dad, Jay and I have trained these dogs to be able to compete among great competition. It wouldn’t matter who won, I’d still turn to Jay and give him a pat on the back and say, “you beauty”,” Josh said.
Winning certainly won’t be easy though.
The Group 3 $50,000-to-the-winner final contains the likes of Paws Of Thunder winner She’s A Pearl, National Futurity champion Wyndra All Class and defending title holder Zipping Maserati.
Spring Meteor will jump from Box 4 and looms as a likely leader of the race.
“He is quick early so if he gets the jump again, hopefully with a bit of luck he can find a bit more in the last 20 metres and hang on. He broke the second section record in the Heats but it’s just that last little bit he gets tired,” Josh said.
While Street Of Dreams will leave from the two box and is almost certain to be at the rear end of the field.
“He’ll be last at the post the first time around, so he’ll have to use his brains and weave his way through. He can probably run 29.4 or 29.5 but if they’re going pretty fast up in front, he won’t catch them,” Opetaia said.
“Hopefully Meteor is leading and can hold on, but if they are closing from the back, hopefully Street Of Dreams is the one flying home late, as long as it’s one of them I don’t really care,” he added.
A genuine friendship always existing between the cousins, with Scott crediting annual trips to the Coonamble greyhound carnival for their unbreakable bond.
“Every year we’d go to Coonamble and camp Friday and Saturday night and come home Sunday. The two of them would just run around having the time of their lives. Not much has changed except I think the height difference is opposite now,” Scott joked.
Jay Opetaia (L) and Josh Board (R) flank Spring Echo at Coonamble in their younger days
“We’d have a fire and throw a few beers around and all sorts of people would come over to the camp for a chat. I remember Charlie Northfield saying he couldn’t believe Josh and Jay were sitting around talking about dogs instead of mucking around on devices like the other kids. And every year they’d have this book to write down the margins and times and work out if we got any through to the finals,” he added.
The two laid back lads with near on four decades of greyhound experience cursing through their veins, now preparing to make the walk to the boxes on what will be a memorable Saturday night at Dubbo.
“Josh and Jay are both brilliant with dogs and they’ve grown up like best mates as well as cousins. So it’d be enormous if either of them were to win it [the Brother Fox],” Scott said.
“My two proudest ever moments in the dogs were when Spring Elegance won the Bill & Peg Miller last year and Agland Luai won a heat of the Million Dollar Chase. I’ve watched the boys grow up together and I go everywhere with them so it’s hard to beat watching them do well. I’d get more thrill out of either of them winning this race than I would myself,” he said.
The boys not hesitant to express their admiration and gratitude for the elder statesman of the group as well.
“Scott has put a lot of hard work into me and Josh, both in the dogs and away from the dogs. He set me up with my apprenticeship and helped me a lot with the dogs and he’s taught me everything I know,” Opetaia said.
“For Dad to say he’d get a bigger thrill out of watching us win this race, it’s crazy really. Especially considering all the success Dad and Pop have had over the years. It’s a pretty good feeling when you’re old man is pretty proud of ya,” Josh added.
The Group 3 Ladbrokes Brother Fox final will be run at Dubbo on Saturday, May 20.
Josh Board leading Spring Elegance out in the 2022 Peter Mosman Opal Final
