Border Closure Forces Dooner To Change Tack

WAGGA trainer Peter Dooner has been forced to change tack with last start Shepparton winners Gotta Bounce and Got To Casino due to the NSW-Victoria border closure which comes into effect at midnight Tuesday.

"I actually put the nominations in for Shepparton but when I heard the borders were closing I rang GRV and pulled them out," Dooner explained.

"It's a shame but at the end of the day people's health and safety is more important than a dog race.

"The prize money at Shepparton is the same as it is here at Wagga or Goulburn but the track from the 400 metre start at Shepparton is much better. They get a beautiful nice run down the back instead of jumping onto a bend. That's why I go there more than anything."

Riding the crest of a winning wave recently, Dooner elected to nominate Gotta Bounce and Got To Casino for Goulburn this Friday after the idea of a return to Shepparton was crushed amid Victoria's escalating coronavirus numbers.

Got To Casino, unbeaten in two career starts, has drawn box eight in heat three of the Ladbrokes Super Series (440m) where he'll match motors with the exciting Spring Barty, a recent 24.66 winner at the venue.

"Got To Casino had a look around Goulburn as a pup so hopefully he remembers," Dooner said.

"Box eight is a plus for him because he'll be last in as well with the box procedures. He has a lot of ability and a lot of speed and the dog he ran down at Shepparton (Skeleton Key) they have raps on.

“I'm not sure what happened with the time at Shepparton, it came up as 21.57 on the semaphore board but in the form it says 21.70. 21.57 would have been the best of the day."

Ultra-impressive at his opening two race starts, the first a fast 18.19 Wagga maiden win by 8 ¼ lengths, Dooner said he has been fielding his share of offers recently for the promising pup.

"There's a silent partner in him and I doubt he'll sell," Dooner said.

"And plenty of people are after a good dog cheaply too." 

The second of Dooner's Goulburn runners is Gotta Bounce, the daughter of Head Bound and Margaret Keeping winning five of her first 12 starts.

"Some of the race-callers call her a dog but she's a bitch … a big one, she weighs 33 ½ kilos," Dooner said. 

"And she's got some ability too. Just being her size she needs to be left alone the first few strides. But she gives it her all; I remember after one of her first starts at Wagga I had to carry her off the track because she put that much into her race."

Rounding out what could be another successful day for Dooner is the appearance of Got A Cookie at Wagga on Friday night in race seven.

Last week, the son of Kinloch Brae stormed away for a best of meeting 22.99 victory from box seven.

"I'm having a good trot but things can turn quickly enough," Dooner said.

"He's a nice dog as well and I'll find out in the next few months if they'll run 500. But they're showing plenty of potential."