Kelleher puts out challenge

DARWIN greyhound trainer Brian Kelleher has issued a stern warning to the rest of the field ahead of tonight’s $5250 Chief Minister’s Cup at Winnellie Park, saying he’s confident in all four of his runners.

It can be argued Kelleher has one hand on the trophy before the 537m event.

Off And On, Soft Sand, Maurice Minor and Del Rey all produced superb runs in the heats last Sunday.

Two-year-old bitch Off And On rattled off the best time of 31.60 seconds, winning her heat by 7 ½ lengths.

Kelleher said that performance was “totally expected” after she was a length off the course record in her Tuesday trial run before the race.

In the same heat, fellow two-year-old bitch Soft Sand got back in the pack but finished strong to take out third in a time of 32.23 seconds.

In the second heat, Maurice Minor also impressed, winning by three lengths in a time of 31.61 seconds, over kennelmate Del Rey (31.82 seconds).

Kelleher is training all four greyhounds after they were sent up for the Darwin Cup Carnival by southeast Queensland trainer Tom Tzouvelis.

“I think all four of them are good dogs for the Chief Minister’s Cup,” Kelleher said.

Trainers’ premiership leader Russell Savige admits threeyear-old Har’s heat form was not quite up to the standard of Kelleher’s dogs.

He ran third in the second heat behind Maurice Minor and Del Rey in a time of 32.04 seconds.

Jetmag Sally (for trainer Simon Nathanael in race one), Gossip Park (Peter Donnolley in race two), Bombay Rock and Out There Jerry (Andrew Lasker in race three) and Hawke’s Special (Carol Pickard in race four) are others to look out for.

Jacky Shannon, Blue Margarita and Hawk Glide will have a strong say for Graeme Ferns in race five, as will Sylvia’s Monaro from box eight for Savige in race six.

Reno Aden (Jamie Hosking) and Peekaboo Bang (Steele Bolton) in race eight, Our Mate Jake (Brian Jacobson in race nine), Boobery (Joel Vansleve in race 10) and Our Josie (Hosking in race 11) are also wort–h monitoring.