Mccarthy Drawn For Qld Futurity Redemption

BACK in 2013, John Mccarthy watched on in hope as his smart bitch Pearl Za Zinger led to the 600m boxes in the final of the Group 2 Queensland Futurity only to see her get wide on the home turn and fade to fifth.

“I was thinking at the 600 boxes I have a huge hope,” said John.

Purcell Bale won that final but Pearl Za Zinger soon repaid Mccarthy when mated to Dyna Lachlan to produce a super litter of four offspring all of them city winners, three of them Group class, one a Queensland Derby winner and the other a multiple G1 runner-up.

From that litter came Oh Golly Gosh which, when mated to Fernando Bale for a repeat mating, has produced Balmy Nights and Ivy Pearl, the former drawn box one for next Thursday night's G2 Qld Futurity final, the latter the first reserve.

Box draw for the G2 Orson Allen @ Stud Bogie Leigh Futurity!

$75,000 is on the line in next Thursday night's time honoured classic.@RaceQLD @tabcomaumedia @SkyRacingAU @GerardDaffy @Bunny_Brasch pic.twitter.com/j5CvaPwXnb

— Brisbane Greyhounds (@BrisGreys) December 29, 2022

Balmy Nights, all 23.9kgs of her, led throughout to win her heat of the Futurity on Thursday night in 30.30 stalling off Smart Houdini and Hara's Opal.

“Yes, she had a bit of luck with a couple of the favourites falling behind her,” said John.

“But, she did the job and has come up with the rails in the final. It gives her a chance.”

Ivy Pearl finished fifth behind Bear's Bullet in the other Futurity heat and she is first reserve for the rich final.

“There is not much between them,” said John.

“They can run about 30.20 and Balmy Nights will need luck to win a Group race running that sort of time.

“But, she can lead from the red and once in front, anything can happen.

“Yes, there are faster dogs in the final, but she's a lid pinger and that will always give her a chance.”

The bitches are just two and have a good career ahead of them.

They are from Oh Golly Gosh's third litter.

“She had a mating to Fernando Bale and they all got a bone disease,” said John.

“She then went to Zambora Brockie and they could really run but unfortunately a couple of them fought.

“So we put her back to Fernando and got this litter.”

Oh Golly Gosh's litter brother Rather Dapper won the G2 Qld Derby and another litter brother, Slick, was second in the G1 Temlee, Paws Of Thunder and Brisbane Cup and second in the G2 Ipswich Auction. He was also a finalist in the Australian Cup and Ipswich Gold Cup.

Mccarthy's grand galloper Dagenham also won the G2 Qld Derby way back in 1993 the first running of the Derby at the newly installed track at Albion Park.

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HARA'S Herbie swept into another Group final when he won his Derby heat in 29.84 the quickest of the series, downing the Zammit's Jay Is Jay.

The recent Ipswich Gold Cup winner, he has also been third in the Vince Curry and a finalist in Townsville Cup, Qld Flame, and Ipswich Derby.

Other heats were won by:

Reg Gardoll's classy Starline Express ran 29.94 to beat Rapid Ripple.

Group 2 Sennachie At Stud QLD Derby Heat 3 520m

1st: Hara's Herbie (7) – 29.84
2nd: Jay Is Jay (1)
3rd: Jimmy The Singer ( 8 )#QLDisRacing @RaceQLD @tabcomaumedia @SkyRacingAU @GerardDaffy @Bunny_Brasch @MMcInallyPhotos pic.twitter.com/h1Ck45lfzt

— Brisbane Greyhounds (@BrisGreys) December 29, 2022

Southern visitor Simply Limelight ran 30.02 to beat Sandstorm Rico.

WA star Electrified won by a nose in 30.16 over Sauve Ripple for Krystal Shinners.

Tony Zammit's De Ferran ran 30.36 to beat Showman Jack by a head.

HELLO Mike ran 29.72 to down Group stars Shipwreck and Orchestrate in the New Year's Trophy scoring by seven lengths for Travis Elson to continue his fabulous form.

MICK Patterson's star Respectability trialled 29.55 before the first race.