On Monday, Jack Smith made the hour trip from his home in Forbes to Sunnylodge Education Centre in Cudal to not only collect some pups which had been broken in, but to offer a teenager the opportunity of his life.
The previous night, Smith was at Wentworth Park and qualified both Master McGraw and Nangar Charm for next Saturday’s Ultra Sense Final. Master McGraw is owned by the Spratt family - Chris and Sandra who own and run Sunnylodge. Nangar Charm is owned by Sandra’s parents Dennis and Ann Barnes.
“When I was there, I said to young Jock (Spratt), “I’ve got two in the final so I’ll need help boxing one, would you be able to box one for me?”,” Smith explained.
“He’s a champion. He works at the break in centre, he’s a great kid, he’s boxed dogs at Dubbo before, and he can handle dogs, and this is what it’s all about for us, helping out young people getting involved in our sport.”
Jock, 14, will box Master McGraw, a dog he selected as “his” when the litter was whelped.
Jock and his younger brother Archie each selected a pup to follow and ‘own’ and Jock chose Master McGraw.
Master McGraw
With their lineage, it’s no surprise Jock and Archie are embedded in greyhound racing and have a love for the dogs.
Jock has always been hands-on with the family business, and became eligible to obtain his attendant’s licence when he turned 14 last December.
“I had the date circled on the calendar and was ticking the days off as it got closer,” Jock said.
“I can’t believe I am going to box a dog in a big (Group) final at Wentworth Park, on one of the biggest nights of the year. I’m so excited. I think I’m more excited than nervous about it. I had a good talk with Pop about it, and he’s got one in the race too.”
Although the occasion is a little bigger and the circumstances different, it won’t be the first time Jock has walked down the straight at Wentworth Park on a big night.
Back in 2023, after his greyhound Nangar Lucy won the Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal, Dennis Barnes was greeted as he walked back down the straight by his grandkids, Jock and Archie.
“There's such a great photo when Mum and Dad won a big race in Sydney, and Jock and Archie are running down to see Dad,” Sandra recalled.
“I said to Jock last night, now you're the one handling in a big race, maybe Archie can come running down to you.
“We all watched the race from home and were all screaming that much at the TV that we had to watch the replay to actually listen to what the commentator said. Both boys lost their voices they were screaming that much."
“Then Raymond (Jack Smith) came to pick up some break-ins, and he said to Jock, ' So I've got two in the final do you want to box Logan (Master McGraw’s kennel name)?' And naturally he said he would love to.
“Jock’s over the moon. He's so excited and trying to run the race in his head. We're all going to come down for the night.”
Sandra’s parents are icons of the sport and have bred and raced many star greyhounds.
“Dad and Mum are very good guides to the boys. They help them and bring them back to Earth if needed, and explain everything about racing to them. We're all there, and we can all support each other,” Sandra explained.
“Jock is very excited about Saturday, but he knows that to be in one of these races, it takes a lot of work, and he understands that.
“He knows to get to this point does not come easy, and he knows how lucky he is but also to enjoy it. It’s going to be a memorable night for Jock and all us.”
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