Paint Face To Make A Splash In Qld Futurity

TWENTY-two year old Carlie Zammit can't wait to get to Albion Park Thursday night when the very first greyhound she has owned, Paint Face, lines up in the final of the Group 2 Queensland Futurity (520m).

Paint Face (Fernando Bale-Alpha Demeter) has drawn off the track in box seven for the finale but comes into the race off a strong second to Pump It in last week's heats.

Carlie has entrusted her mother Selena Zammit as trainer and father Mick as handler.

“As an owner I leave all the dealings with Carlie up to Selena,” joked Mick.

“I'm just the handler. It's best that Selena deals with anything that comes up.”

Carlie, of course, has lived her life around greyhound racing and her parents are pleased with the success of Paint Face by gathering a following among all Carlie's friends.

Paint Face was named after face painting Carlie and her brother Kane always wanted when taken out as youngsters.

“They always called it paint face, instead of face painting, so we had to run with that when thinking of a name for this bitch,” said Mick.

Paint Face has raced nine times for wins at Albion Park over 395m and 520m.

“She has improved a lot since we first put her into work,” said Mick.

“She's a lovely bitch but a bit of a one pacer. However, she is only 22 months old and already a city winner and group finalist.”

Mick pointed to the fact her mother Alpha Demeter “took nine or 10 runs to win a maiden and ended up top grade in Melbourne”.

“And, this bitch is from a very good litter,” he said. “She has a couple of brothers going great.”

The Zammits are aware Paint Face is not well boxed in the seven but are hoping for the best.

“On Ipswich Cup night she ran one of the quickest first sections of the program,” said Mick.

“Carlie is pretty excited about Thursday night and will be there hoping like the rest of us.

“We've got a bank account set up for her and Paint Face has already won almost $11,000.

“If only she had drawn a little better, she could easily have finished close up.

"We're just after plenty to go our way."

* Pic courtesy Box 1 Photography