Seachange could turn into Classic fairytale

AN Ocean Grove seachange is being credited for a purple patch of form that has earned roughie Jay Bird an unlikely crack at Group 1 glory in Saturday night’s heats of the KCR Pet Transport Maturity Classic (525m).

Jay Bird, a $51 outsider in heat two of the Maturity, had won just four of her 37 starts before being purchased by Paul Groves, who coached the Western Bulldogs to the 2018 AFLW premiership.

Groves then pulled another masterstroke when asking Heath McAdam to take the training reins.

The move to Ocean Grove has obviously agreed with Jay Bird, which comes into the star-studded Maturity heats off a winning hat-trick.

“I just think she loves where we are. We’re right next to the beach, she loves walking in the bush and the change has given her a new lease of life,” McAdam said.

Jay Bird has won three of five starts for McAdam, the most recent a slick 29.87s success at Sandown. But the Maturity heats and a date with $1.95 favourite Catch The Thief at her Meadows debut represents a whole new kettle of fish.

“Saturday night is going to be a bit tricky but she’s going so well she deserves a crack at it,” McAdam said.

“She only made the cut-off date for the Maturity by about a week so it was meant to be. She’ll be one of the most experienced dogs in the heats so hopefully that will help.

“I haven’t taken her to The Meadows because she flies at her first look at a track. I deliberately avoided that because I didn’t want to waste that good run in a trial.

“It won’t be easy from out there (box seven). She would have to do everything right and some of the good dogs would have to find trouble but she can ping the lids and if she gets to the front and there’s trouble behind her who knows?