When Tiger Jack steps out in the Ladbrokes Dapto Middle Distance Championship final on Thursday night, he will come up against five competitors who weren’t even born when he made his race day debut back in December of 2021.
The other two, Midnight Spritz and Kangaroo Jack, were both less than six-months-old, such is the longevity of the dog they call ‘Jack’.
The 11-time winner and former Group 3 placegetter was a little fortunate when taking out a messy heat of the $25,000 feature last week in a time of 35.10, but for Craig and Ayden Sheridan, just qualifying Tiger Jack for a final at nearly five-years of age is a superb training performance.
The son of Fernando Bale x Book Of Luck, who can lay claim to once beating home champion stayer Palawa King in a Group 3 Lizrene at Sandown in May 2023, has had his fair share of injuries throughout his 52-start career.
But despite the setbacks, and with punters knowing he’ll need to improve on his heat performance to take out the middle-distance feature, stranger things have happened on a dog track.
Tiger Jack’s biggest threats, ironically, will come courtesy of some familiar faces.
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Tiger Jack is a full brother to MDC finalist, Doonan, and a half-brother to Group 2 winner, Punter's Bandit
His former trainer, Andy Lord, will rug up Midnight Spritz (Box 1), as well as two other Sheridan-owned commodities in King Tide and Ayden’s Warrior.
“Midnight Spritz’s best efforts have been at Wentworth Park in the past but now that she’s drawn the red, she’ got her chance,” Lord admitted.
“It’s a bend start at Dapto so you need to come out running, or if you can’t do that, you’re probably better off missing it and coming down onto the fence. She proved she can come from behind in the heat so she could have either option.”
Lord also acknowledging the 2024 Ladies Bracelet winner is unlikely to race on into 2025.
“As bitches get a bit older, some get better while others don’t kick on. When she wants to, she can still have a brilliant first section so she’s a chance in this race but we’ll probably retire her and breed her at Christmas time. She’s not getting any younger and we want to protect her value as a brood bitch too,” Lord said.
On the other side of the equation, litter brothers King Tide and Ayden’s Warrior are still very much on the upward racing curve according to Lord.
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“They’re young dogs and they’re in against some cagey types on Thursday night. Ayden’s Warrior is the fastest dog in the race, I’ve got no doubt about that…but a cagey old dog can push and shove and turn them inside out and these dogs are still learning how to race,” Lord said.
“Ayden’s Warrior has got a bit of pace too so I think he can get up there early and although I’m confident, I’m still wary. 600m is no problem for him but he’s a bit more brilliant than his brother so he’s still got to learn how to run the trip out.”
“King Tide is the stronger of the two but he’s not quick early. I’ve got high hopes for him as a stayer and he’s got a bit more experience than his brother at the moment. This sort of race is a good test for them both at this stage of their careers.”
Two greyhounds in the final who are right at the peak of their powers are Tulsi Banner (Box 8) and Boston Banner (Box 3)
The Barry Gibbons-trained siblings have drawn well and will be looking to add to their combined 27 wins through 63 starts.
“Tulsi Banner can cross them from there. She came out last week and got over but she was a bit underdone. 600m tests her but she’ll be better for the run and I think she can handle herself well in the final,” Gibbons said on Tuesday.
“She’s had three goes over the middle distance and although it does flatten her a bit the day after, she’s had a hit out this morning and is bouncing around, full of beans.”
“And the box brings Boston [Banner] into it. He walked out last week and was back to last so he had to go around them. He was lucky he ran third and one of the heats didn’t run much time so he qualified. He’s usually brilliant at home in box work but he comes out like a drunk on race night.”
“His last win at Wenty he knuckled over and he was last early in the Black Top before rattling home. I don’t know if he’s too keen or has just lost his rhythm but I hope he can get to the fence, sit handy and come home humming. I can’t split my pair so we’ll see what happens.”
The final of the Ladbrokes Dapto Middle Distance Championship will be run this Thursday, October 31 at 9:04pm, with the winner taking home $25,000.
