Grafton Carnival Proves The Making Of Fifty Short

A COUPLE of years ago, Lara trainer Jimmy Turner was just about out of greyhound racing.

On Sunday, he and smart sprinter Fifty Short head to Healesville for the Victorian final of the National Straight Track Championship with a spot in the National final at Murray Bridge on the line.

Fifty Short (Orson Allen-Summer Skye) ran 19.11 to win his heat of the Victorian series last Sunday, downing Description by half-a-length.

Jimmy, wife Maureen, and Fifty Short had just got home from the Grafton July carnival, a Mecca for greyhound families from throughout the country.

Jimmy and Maureen have been holidaying with a dog or two every July for the past 26 years.

"I've missed only once in that time, and that was about five years ago when I was a bit cross," said Jimmy Turner, 78.

Jimmy and Maureen had a carnival to remember with Fifty Short running third to Journey Beyond in the Group 3 Grafton Cup Final.

"I had decided to get out of dogs a couple of years ago, but then I thought ‘what am I going to do if I'm not training dogs'," he said.

His mate Ron McCullagh came to the rescue.

"Ron had bred a litter by Orson Allen out of his good bitch Summer Skye," said Jimmy.  "The mother won 21 races.

"I paid $4000 for Fifty Short and he has been a really good dog for us. He always showed he could gallop and is a really good chaser.

"He's drawn the rails in Sunday's state final and that gives him a really good chance.

"But, it is a very tough state final with plenty of good dogs.

"If we get to the National final at Murray Bridge that will be great.

"But, the Healesville Cup is also coming up early in September and that will be his target as well."

Jimmy and Maureen have been relishing their Grafton winter holiday for all those 26 years.

"We love it and have made so many good friends over the years," said Jimmy.

"John Corrigan and Des Winters who run Grafton are great blokes and very, very hard workers.

"Johnny Buttsworth has been going to Grafton longer than Maureen and I.

"Everyone knows everyone and we all talk nothing but greyhounds.

"This year we stayed 10 weeks and I even have a set of kennels I leave at the track."

Jimmy even bought a couple of Feral Franky pups from the Dennis Barnes family … just to give him something to do in the years ahead.