Fred Swain has learnt his lesson and will put in place a different plan of attack when he bring his talented bitch All Hands Off to Wentworth Park for the TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-finals next month.
All Hands Off qualified for the October 9 semi-finals with a dazzling display on Tuesday night in the Lismore Regional Final, winning the event by seven lengths in 29.61s from Queensland pair Cooper Dooper and Hammer Down.
All Hands Off has been to Wentworth Park before, back in July for the heats of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal, but when having her first look at the sometimes tricky circuit, she failed to handle it and finished well back.
“She’s going back to Wentworth Park, probably next Tuesday night for a trial,” Swain said. “I won’t do the same as I did last time. She just didn’t handle Wentworth Park last time.
“I’d like to give her a couple of looks to be honest, but I won’t be able to as I won’t have the time.”
The “time” isn’t about having other things to do. It’s just that it takes “about 10 hours” to drive from his home 700kms away at Ellangowan near Casino, to Wentworth Park. That’s 10 hours - obviously with a few stops - one way.
“I’ve got a motel lined up this time,” he explained. “I’ll go down and stay the night and then trial the next day, and then come back, stay at motel and then head home and do it that way. It will break it up and that way it’s not too much for the dogs.”
In the Lismore Regional Final, it was the case of same, same but different. The trio which filled placings in the heat at Lismore a week earlier, were again in the money in the final.
With just nine dogs nominated last week, the Lismore club was only able to stage one heat, with all runners advancing to this week’s Regional Final.
Last week the Tom Tzouvelis-trained Cooper Dooper stormed home to win over fellow Queensland Hammer Down, with All Hands Off an unlucky third.
Fast forward seven days, and Copper Dooper, Hammer Down and All Hands Off, all finished top three again, and all won Million Dollar Chase semi-final berths as a result, but this time in a different order.
All Hands Off has had a boom on her for some time, having won 14 of 20 starts, and run blistering times around the Lismore track, a circuit where she now boasts the record of eight starts for six wins and two placings over the 520m trip.
Although she was crossed on the first turn by Hammer Down, supporters would have been feeling good heading into the back with All Hands Off camped on the leader’s tail.
On the top turn the local surged passed Hammer Down, and raced away for an impressive victory.
