Reigning Thunderbolt champion and sprinting sensation, Vamoose, may sit atop the pile for most race wins in NSW so far in 2023, but nipping at his heels in second spot is the Gunnedah-based short course specialist Julia Bush.

The daughter of Suzi Cargo by Worm Burner has greeted the judge first on 16 occasions so far this calendar year and will be looking for another scalp on Thursday when she steps out in the Gunnedah heats of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase (MDC).

“A mate of mine has got a share in her and he’s been keeping track of her results, so I knew she was going good, but not that good,” trainer Jamie Bush admitted.

The Bush duo of Julia and Jamie are currently runaway leaders in the Gunnedah Greyhound and Trainers Premiership respectively, but the latter admits most of the kennel’s best work has been over the shorter trips in the North West Slopes.

Extending Julia Bush out to 527m in the first of two feature heats at the track “a big query” for Jamie considering she is yet to win over 431m.

“I gave her a post-to-post the other day at the track and she went a mediocre 27.2. That’s only average and her run home time was 14.10 which is only OK as well,” Bush said.

“She needs to be going 13.8 or 13.9 to be up there but she has only had the one post-to-post so she should improve. She will probably get a bit leg wary late but she can run some good sectionals if she comes out. You’ll know her chances early though because if she doesn’t lead, she’s no chance of running anything down.”

2023 proving to be a fruitful one for Julia Bush with 14 victories at her home track of Gunnedah, with a win each at Tamworth and Moree also adding to the impressive record. 

She’s also run six BON times and reeled off five victories in a row between June 22 and July 10.

Not bad a greyhound that took a while to find her feet.

“We had a lot of trouble getting her going to be honest but once the penny dropped, away she went. She’s a beautiful dog and got a great nature but I think the MDC will be tough for her. She’s probably only really going 400m strongly and then she runs out of sting but we’ll see,” Bush added.

The Gunnedah local, and eighth most winning trainer in NSW so far this year, perhaps more bullish about the chances of his other MDC hopeful who will go around in the second of Thursday’s preliminaries. 

“I think Franky Bear is an up and comer,” Bush said.

“He trialled better than Julia [Bush] but he also got a little bit tired. Just like her, he’s only had the one run over the trip as well, but he did go from the 527m boxes and ran around 30.50.”

“He’s still maturing though and going alright. I think Julia has peaked and found her level but he’s got a bit left in him. We’ll see if he can handle this class of dog because it’s a bit harder than what he’s used to, but we’ll find out soon enough.”

One greyhound bringing superior form lines to Gunnedah is Group 1 winning bitch Embrace.

Trainer Craig Chappelow searching far and wide for a chance to qualify his 11-time winner for her second straight MDC semi-final.

“She [Embrace] can be a bit of a hard one to place in this series because she loves Wenty Park so much (nine race wins have come at the Glebe track), but we don’t want to leave it until the city qualifiers to try and get her through,” Chappelow said.

“I tried the [Dapto] Megastar and she didn’t go too well down there. She doesn’t seem to like the small tracks so that rules out the Black Top and Gosford and Nowra are a bit similar. So I thought Gunnedah might be the best Plan B after Dapto.”

Chappelow willing to make the six hour-trip from his home in Oakdale to a circuit the 2021 Peter Mosman Opal winner has had some success around.  

“She’s had a few runs at Gunnedah [third-placed finishes in both the heats and final of the 2023 Chief Havoc Cup] and showed a bit out there. I was hoping she’d draw well, and she has in Box 8, so fingers crossed,” Chappelow said.

“I’m not super confident but hopefully she can get through to the final. She’ll come up against some handy local dogs and she certainly won’t have it her own way. It’s certainly not a lay down misère for her to win and it’s a long drive, but the lure of a guaranteed spot in the semi-finals is too good a prize to ignore.”

Group 3 Brother Fox placegetter, I’m Loving It, will also return from injury at Gunnedah in Race 6 on the program as Chappelow prepares him for a potential tilt at the September 30 City Qualifiers at Wentworth Park.