Bones Mccoy On Fire Ahead Of Birthday Cup

BACK in the 1990s, now WA-based trainer Glen Currie headed out to Bathurst from Sydney on Mothers' Day to win a race worth $100 and a box of chocolates.

“I remember before having a work-enforced break from training a Canning Stake in WA was worth $1500,” said Glen. “Those races are now worth $5500.”

On Friday night, Wundowie-based Currie heads into the Group 2 Birthday Cup Final (405m) at Mandurah with hot prospect Bones Mccoy (Aston Dee Bee-Midnight Carmen) chasing a $40,000 victory.

And, Bones Mccoy has drawn perfectly in the red for the final despite facing an extra tough line-up of sprinters.

Currie has been training again for only two-and-a-half years and was sent Bones Mccoy from NSW by Chrystal Hensing, partner of the late Troy Donaldson.

BONES McCOY takes out the fifth heat of the 2022 Greyhounds WA Mandurah Birthday Cup. pic.twitter.com/ZvHZnAOkac

— Greyhounds WA (@greyhounds_wa) January 7, 2022

“When I got back into greyhounds, I got a few dogs from Troy and Chrystal,” Currie said.

“She asked me a few months ago to take on this dog and he has won five of 11 for the kennel.

“He is raced by a syndicate from the Wyee Fire Brigade.”

Bones Mccoy ran a scorching 22.42 back on December 11 at Mandurah and Glen decided to give him an easy time leading into the Birthday Cup.

“He needed the run when fourth on New Year's Day and then went 22.46 in the heat last week,” he said.

“He also ran a very, very quick second section of 11.73. If he runs up to that he will be very hard to beat on Friday night.”

Currie has done his homework on the final.

“I've watched the videos and most of the finalists will go straight out of the boxes,” he said.

“So, from the rails he can hold his ground. If he runs up to his form, he can win.”

Currie would not declare the hardest to beat.

“All seven of his rivals are very, very good dogs and any one of them can win,” he said. “Destruction is going super, Serong is a great race dog, West On Brae is very good as well.

“All seven of them can win the race given a bit of first turn luck.”

Currie is well aware the Perth Cup is coming up in nine weeks.

“We will obviously work towards that target in the future, depending on him staying sound,” he said.

Currie gave training away from years ago when working overseas as a steel importer but has come back into the industry recently and is amazed at the huge increase in prizemoney.

Bones Mccoy has won 24 of his 47 starts for $70,000 in stakes. He has a 29.62 career best at Wentworth Park.