Burnett hoping for more Brisbane success in Group 2 QLD Derby
VICTORIAN trainer David Burnett is hoping his talented sprinter My Silver Chisel can upstage some of the Sunshine State's best young males when he contests the Group 2 Queensland Derby (520m) at Albion Park this Thursday night.
The son of Magic Sprite and Silver Avenue, $2.75 with Crownbet, was one of two greyhounds to clock 29.97 in last week's heats, the other being Tony Brett's Thirty Talks, and has come up with the coveted rails draw for the $47,250 to the winner decider.
Burnett says he was happy with his black chaser's form heading into the series and is expecting him to improve off his initial look at Albion Park heading into the final.
“He is feeling terrific,” Burnett told Australian Racing Greyhound.
“The box was his main concern last week, the times he had been trialling were sensational and five days prior he went under three lengths of Fernando Bale's Traralgon track record so I knew he was up to the standard.
“It was his first look at the track last week and he was a little bit strange to it on the first corner and he was feeling his way down the back straight.
“He will certainly be better for the run.”
A winner of nine of his 22 career starts to date, My Silver Chisel has raced some of the top greyhounds in Australia during his brief career, including the likes of Dalgetty, Black Frenzy, Buck Forty, Midwinter and Asa Killa Queen.
Having just turned two years of age, Burnett is hopeful My Silver Chisel is ready make the next step up in his career by taking out his first group race this week, however he concedes his chaser will have to bring his best against a classy line-up including former Victorian Dundee Osprey, now in the care of Tony Brett.
“[Dundee Osprey} has some very good times at Sandown (29.11) and I think he will be suited by being drawn out wide in the eight.
“He was another one which was new to the track last week, so he will better for last week's run too.
“In saying that my dog is well drawn in box one and I think if he uses it well he will be very hard to beat.”
And Burnett is no stranger to success in Brisbane, having prepared former top sprinter Kiss Me Ketut to win the 2013 Group 1 Brisbane Cup at Albion Park.
“It is nice to have another good dog come through the kennels so soon after retiring Kiss Me Ketut.
“I think this dog (My Silver Chisel) has the potential to be as good if not better than Ketut.
“I have been pretty hard on him since he was a pup by putting him in some big races because he was showing such enormous potential.
“I am looking forward to the next 12 months and seeing where he goes to.”
Group 2 Queensland Derby – Crownbet.com.au market
1 – My Silver Chisel – $2.75
2 – France Soir – $9
3 – Gelantipy Gold – $41
4 – Fabulous Bill – $8
5 – Zabdon Ferrari – $10
6 – Thirty Talks – $4.20 with Crownbet
7 – Magical Yessam – $21
8 – Dundee Osprey – $3.60
1st Res – Tripum – $17
2nd Res – Tilly's Boy – $9