Mellcat Big Boy’s Goulburn Cup victory a win for the little guys
John Mellon's wife Catherine has to live the rest of her life with debilitating back pain, but for a few precious moments after the Goulburn Cup that pain magically disappeared.
This was because of the pure joy their three-year-old Mellcat Big Boy brought them after saluting in the Group 3 feature over 440m and worth $54,600.
“She didn't feel any pain while she was screaming him home, I can tell you,” Mellon told Australian Racing Greyhound with a smile.
Mellon is now a fulltime greyhound trainer at Wingello, about half an hour outside of Goulburn.
He took the career gamble because of the financial effects COVID had on his small cleaning business.
Not to mention it has been “10 years of turmoil” since his wife's workplace accident.
And – along with them being locals – it was no wonder the crowd went crazy at Mellcat Big Boy's win last Friday.
The big 37kg chaser blitzed the field, the $6 chance with greyhound bookmakers saluting by 4 ¾ lengths in a slashing time of 24.32 seconds.
“He used to hold the track record there and Wow beat it (winning last year's Goulburn Cup in 24.22 seconds),” Mellon said.
“But Big Boy still holds the run-home record. And he went very close to that (last Friday).”
And for just a few moments of ecstasy, all the pain Catherine and John had endured together evaporated.
“The phone hasn't stopped ringing and – with the congratulations on course – it was probably the biggest buzz I've had on a race day,” Mellon said following his kennel star's triumph.
“It was our first Goulburn Cup win.
“We ran third with Majestic Puzzle in the race in 2007. That feels like a lifetime ago.
“So it was good to go a couple better.
“He was in a few Group finals, but this dog is a better dog. (Mellcat Big Boy) is probably the best dog we've had.
“It does (winning the Goulburn Cup as a local trainer is extra special) because you know everyone in the crowd and they all know you.”
Mellon fits the definition of battling country trainer who certainly now deserves this kind of success after what him and Catherine have been through.
“We had a cleaning business and she hurt her back at work,” he said.
“Three back operations later and she's no better. She's in pain everyday and there are a lot of things she can't do anymore because of her back.
“For her it's been 10 years of turmoil and there will be no improvement.
“She's just got to live with it for the rest of her life. L3 and L4 in her back – she ruptured the discs.
“They put plates in there. The first operation was a failure; the second operation didn't improve it.”
Even after a third operation, John and Catherine had to accept the fact she would just have to manage the pain every day.
“She's just been in for her third operation, which was not to try and improve her back, it was just to try and manage the pain,” Mellon said.
“It's just something she's got to live with, and there are plenty of people worse-off than her, put it that way.”
The devastating effects of recent COVID lockdowns – with much of Mellon's cleaning work done in hotels – then took a toll.
But ever the optimist, he closed his business and took a career punt on training greyhounds fulltime.
Indeed, last Friday's victory was one for country battlers who never give up.
“For three months I was just playing with my dogs and then I realised I didn't want to go back to work,” Mellon said.
“I just wanted to play with my dogs. So we shut down the business and went fulltime with our greyhounds.”
Despite Mellcat Big Boy's imposing size, he too has had his struggles but never gave up.
The genetically-blessed chaser finished a disappointing eighth in his Million Dollar Chase semi-final on September 16.
He was the second-favourite to win, paying $3.50, but slipped back through the field after starting well.
He simply appeared to lose interest.
But Mellon said there were a number of reasons why his mind wasn't on the job that night.
“He was in a Million Dollar Chase semi-final. We had bitches come on season on the property, and that took his mind off the job,” he said.
“His blood wasn't right, so it just didn't go right.
“So I freshened him for this race (Goulburn Cup) and everything fell into line beautifully.
“That doesn't happen too often when you're training animals, I can tell you that.
“I was disappointed that it all happened at the wrong time.
“But I wasn't really disappointed in the run because he went well early in the race.
“In life, you've got to live with disappointment.”
Mellcat Big Boy bounced back from his failed Million Dollar Chase campaign in fine fashion, winning three of his next four starts.
And – somewhat uncharacteristically – he won the Goulburn Cup with finesse from box four.
“He ran up behind the leader (Yuki Girl) and actually went underneath the leader which – for a big dog – that was a good effort, I thought,” Mellon said.
“Trialing him before racing, the dog always showed a lot of ability. He always looked like he'd be a very handy dog.”
Along with his natural ability, Mellcat Big Boy doesn't mind all the extra attention he receives due to his good looks.
“Because people know the dog it makes him more popular, I suppose,” Mellon said.
“He's the sort of dog who gets noticed because he is a good-looking dog.
“When you talk conformation he's probably nearly perfect. He's such a big dog – he's noticeable because of his size.
“Wherever he goes they all get to know him. He has got a personality.
“He thinks he's somebody, put it that way.
“It's all him – he does his own talking. All I do is present him, simple as that.”
Mellcat Big Boy has all the characteristics of a future staying star.
His conditioner just has to bide his time for the right opportunities over longer distances.
“I'm not getting a chance for him to stay because he's racing so well over the sprint journey,” Mellon said.
“We've been waiting for a chance to switch him to the staying ranks.
“But because he's all over the sprints we just haven't had an opportunity.”
Next on the radar for the Goulburn Cup champion will be some country features in Victoria under respected trainer Stephen Whyte.
“Steve can determine what races he'll go into. I'll leave that up to Steve – he knows what he's doing,” Mellon said.
“We'll chase some of the big country cups.
“We've had a long association with Steve, and I know how good he is with dogs.
“We don't really want him to go to a big kennel. Steve has a smaller kennel and that suits us because we do get accused of spoiling our dogs.
“So they need a little bit more attention than some others. Steve has a small kennel, which will enable him to spend more time with the dog.”
Mellcat Coral and Mellcat John Boy will also be sent to Whyte's kennels.
“We've got a bitch (Mellcat Coral) – she's won eight out of (16),” Mellon said.
“And the young dog who raced (last Friday), Mellcat John Boy. He's won four out of seven.
“He got beaten (third over 350m), but he probably should've won.
“So we'll probably send the three of them down. That will enable us to bring through our younger crop.
“I need to spend time on them to give them the opportunity to reach their best.
“The older dogs will go to Steve and the younger dogs will stay here. Maybe they'll go to Steve too, depending on how good they are.”
Supporters of Mellon's dogs can also rest assured that – after everything him and Catherine have been through – more success is coming their way.
“We're pretty happy with the bloodline we've got at the moment. The litters that we're producing are all showing ability,” he said.