Glen Price Targets Mandurah Kanyana Cup With Cosmic Wild
Young trainer Glen Price was lucky enough to have his new chaser Cosmic Wild involved in the final of the Great Weston and is now targeting Mandurah's Prime Trophies Kanyana Cup with his talented sprinter.
There will be six heats run over the 490 metre distance, with 48 greyhounds competing for their rug in the $5,000 to the winner final.
Son of Cosmic Rumble – Abbadale Elle, Cosmic Wild, is in the fourth heat of the night jumping from box seven.
“Box seven is not an ideal box to have, but he is normally a reliable beginner, so that could work in his favour. Looking at the race book there isn't too many that can lead with him apart from the two (West On Abba).” Glen Price explained.
“Linda's dog Bekim Maxim in the eight is the dog to beat in heats, if my dog begins the eight will probably get a nice cart into the race, he is probably a little stronger then me too. If he begins well I would give him the run of the race then Emily Frazer's dog from the two.”
“I think Cosmic Wild can go very close to winning but he has to begin and cross to the front.”
Across the board in the Caning Trophy heats there is a genuine spread of short course talent.
Heat One (6.59pm Perth Time):
Andrew McLaren's Lochinvar Cruise is set to jump favourite despite wearing the green rug. The red fawn dog has had all his seven wins at Mandurah over 400 metres, he has stepped up in distance to the 490 on two occasions without a win. His form suggests that he is in with a good chance if he doesn't get too tired on the home straight.
Wreck Monelli for David Hobby is currently paying $5.00 to take the race out from box three. He isn't the best beginner and is yet to have a win over 490, but he has tasted success over Northam's 509 distance, which should see him coming home well.
West On Miffy is jumping from box eight for trainer Linda Britton paying $6.50. The little black bitch is also winless over this distance but she has managed to win over the 530 metres at Cannington. She is bred to be fast so it is hard to count her out of this race.
Heat Two (7.17pm, Perth time):
John Iwanyk's Uncle Si (box four) and Linda Britton's Private Notes (box five) both hold $3.00 favouritism coming into the heats. Uncle Si has spent the majority of his career over Mandurah's 490 metre distance which should hold him in good stead. Although he has only had three wins so far they have all been best of the night performances.
Private Notes is lining up for her sixth career start and her second time over this distance, her first time being her qually where she ran third. Her times haven't been outstanding but she did go near best of the night over 400 a few weeks back.
Hallpack Tommy for David Hobby is jumping from box three paying $5.00 for the win. He has had all his 18 starts over 400 at Mandurah, excluding his last start where he finished fifth over 490. The run last week should give him a helping hand this week.
Heat Three (7.37pm Perth time):
Andrew McLaren currently holds favouritism for the second time in the Kanyana Cup heats, this time with El Deseo (paying $3.00). The black bitch has won three of her four races over Cannington's 530 metre trip which should see her coming home strong. She broke through for her first Mandurah victory over 490, giving her every chance of winning the race from box two.
Rampant Lion would be one of the stronger chasers heading into the race; he has had a large handful of his starts at Cannington as well as Mandurah's 490 distance. Box six does him very little favours but can't be forgotten about, paying $4.00 for the win.
Hammer Chaser for Christine Bennett is jumping from box one paying $6.00 for the win. The black dog has been in good form of late at Mandurah over 490, giving him a good chance of snatching the victory if he sticks to the rails.
Heat Four (7.57pm Perth time):
Linda Britton's Bekim Maxim is $2.00 favourite wearing the pink rug. This talented youngster isn't know for his box manners, but is strong on the run home considering he runs Cannington's 530 metre distance out well.
West On Abba for Emily Frazer is another youngster that continues to improve. She is a last start winner over this distance in a best of the night performance therefore is hard to not give her a chance of winning the race.
David Hobby has Jaguar Monelli jumping from box three. She has been beaten by some very good dogs in her short career and can't be ruled out of this race. She has raced and won over both the 530 and 490 metres.
Heat Five (8.12pm Perth time):
Prang Monelli is odds on favourite paying $1.70 from box two for David Hobby. He is searching for his fourth consecutive win over the 490 metres. The brindle dog ran a personal best time of 27.28 two weeks ago, which is why he has the respect of the punters in this race.
Jamie Marsh's Ambitious Gem is jumping from box three. The blue dog has been running over 400 metres which is where he got his four wins from. The step up in distance for the first time could test him but he is worth watching out for.
Heat Six (8.27pm Perth time):
Golden Gossip for trainer Christine Robartson is jumping from box two, currently paying $2.20 for the win. The red brindle bitch has a super impressive record, winning five of her six starts and running second in the other. Most of her wins have been over 405, but two starts back she won on her 490 metre debut.
Sailing Solo has recently done most of his work at Cannington for trainer David Hobby and this week he is back at Mandurah jumping from box one. He has been beaten by some good dogs in his past few starts and there are question marks over whether he is up the running the 490 metres after having a few weeks off.
Linda Britton has Waiter's Eye jumping from the pink box paying $6.00. The big black dog isn't known for his early speed, which could cause him a bit of trouble if he is too far behind. He is running in his second start back from injury, winning previously over 405.
“There is at least three of four dogs in every heat that can do some damage. Prang Monelli off the two has gone 27.30 and on his night he is good. El Deseo of Andrew McLaren's can run 27.60's, so it's in with a chance. If Prang Monelli can run what he can off the two he should be the dog to beat in this series.” Glen Price said.
Price is in his first month of training with his kennel of 18 dogs and has already produced his first quinella, which happened to be his first win as a trainer too.
“My biggest moment so far would probably be getting Cosmic Wild into the Great Weston because I wasn't expecting it. I also had one make it into the maiden final so making a couple of feature races early on was a bit of a buzz.”
Price has worked for a number of trainers since his introduction to the greyhound industry through his father including; Peter Sayer, Linda Britton and more recently Dan Biddle. He has been in the greyhound industry for about 13 years after being introduced to greyhounds when his father decided to by one after previously being involved with racehorses.
“I got the bug with the greyhounds more then I did with horses and it just grew from there. It just seemed to stick with me.”
“I had a couple months away from the industry to refresh the batteries, seeing if there was anything outside of greyhounds that interest me, eventually I found my way back into the dogs through Linda Britton. I was originally meant to do only a couple of weeks and that turned into a year.”
When Price was 18 he had a short stint as a trainer because the timing wasn't right and commitment to the dogs was an issue, so young Price decided to work for another trainer. Over the past few years Price found himself working with Dan Biddle who gave him two options, because he believed Price had nothing more to learn from him. Either go and work for another trainer or bite the bullet and become a trainer himself. A month into taking the later advise Price is happy with his decision.
“I have learnt you have got to be patient in this game, you make mistakes along the way, do what you do and make sure the dogs are healthy and injury free and believe you can train.”
“I have noticed along the way that you can't really plan what you do with the dogs too far in advance because you plan something and it will go a different way, so I take it day by day, week by week and month by month, dog by dog.”
“What I want to do is earn respect from other trainers and owners and hopefully win some Group and feature races along the way.”
On Friday night in Cosmic Wild's second finals stint, the heats of the Kanyana Cup, he has the chance to step up against some handy chasers and aid in development of respect his trainer Glen Price strives for from other trainers.