Joe McFadyen is a meticulous trainer who rarely races a dog without a trial on the track, but he was the victim of circumstances in the Chief Havoc Cup heats at Gunnedah which is why his finalists, Ali Tango and Canya Brew It, can be the big improvers in Sunday's $40,000 to the winner final.
McFadyen's pair were seeing the Gunnedah track for the first time when they contested last Sunday's heats, with Ali Tango finishing a close second behind Player One and Canya Brew It a distant runner-up to fastest winner Out Of Style.
"Ali Tango had been selected in the NSW State of Origin squad to go to Queensland, and if that had eventuated he would have to go to The Q there to trial,'' McFadyen said.
"As it turned out he didn't go, but it was too late to organise trials at Gunnedah, so he and Canya Brew It went into their heats cold."
"They have drawn well in the final, with Ali Tango ideally placed in box one, and Canya Brew It not without a chance from box eight."
"I would have preferred Canya Brew It drawn nearer the fence, but in one in every four or five runs, he can ping the lids, especially from outside boxes.
"Ali Tango takes one or two steps and then explodes so I really like his chances on Sunday.''
Ali Tango and Canya Brew It are McFadyen's second Chief Havoc Cup finalists, as his dog Hurricane's Fury finished sixth to Street Of Dream in the 2023 Gunnedah race.
Fastest qualifier for Sunday's final is the Chris Kedwell trained Out Of Style, who deserves to win a big race. She finished third to Tulsi Banner in last year's Group One Peter Mosman Opal at Wentworth Park, and was fifth in the recent Brother Fox Cup final at Dubbo, won by Gets Late Early.
"Before the heats, Out Of Style had a post-to-post slip at Gunnedah, but last Sunday's race was her first time out of the 527m boxes,'' Kedwell said.
Chris Kedwell raises greyhound puppies on his Madyl Lodge property at Cessnock, and the list of top- notchers reared there, reads like a who's who of group racing.
Madyl Lodge has been the early home for the likes of Million Dollar Chase winner Blue Kermaro, Vic Peters Classic winners Gatlin and Rinsed The Lot, Paws Of Thunder winner King Cratos Black Top and Ladies Bracelet winner and Ladbrokes Gardens record breaker French Martini as well as Maitland Cup winner Black Forge.
Mark Moroney's wonderful greyhounds Fire Legend, She Is Fire and Fire On Ice were also "primary school students" at Madyl Lodge, and it was as a reward for whelping Fire On Ice on behalf of her owner, that Chris Kedwell was presented with Out Of Style.
