It’s been almost 12 years between visits, but Kayla-Jane Coleman is be hoping her current Sandown Park campaign is as memorable as her last.
In 2004, Coleman accompanied her new boss, trainer Steve White, to Sandown Park for the heats of the Laurels Classic with talented young greyhound named Paua To Burn in tow. ‘Tina’ would remain undefeated throughout the series to claim the first of four group 1 titles which would launch her into the AGRA Hall of Fame. It was a whirlwind experience for the then 18 year old.
“I left school and worked with a few family friends, and I also worked at the Nowra greyhound club,” said Coleman, now 30.
“Steve was a family friend and I was having trouble finding a full time job while dealing with a few personal issues. He needed a driver to go to Melbourne which gave me a chance to prove myself. He put me on the minimum wage and I got to travel the country side with Paua To Burn.
“It brought me out of my shell a lot, I was always a bit shy and anxious and it made me more confident with the dogs. I was always very withdrawn but it brought me out and made me a better person. It’s my livelihood now and I love it.”
Kayla-Jane Coleman with Steve White and Paua To Burn following the 2005 Sapphire Crown
Under White’s tutelage, Coleman spent the next seven years learning every aspect of greyhound conditioning. When White began to downscale his operation (and has since moved to Victoria to train greyhounds) , Coleman accepted a position with another trainer, Ray Webster. The move from Nowra Hill to Camden provided the added bonus of moving closer to her new boyfriend, fellow trainer Shaun Evans.
“I was going out with Shaun at the time but I didn’t move to be closer to him, but it worked out well. About 12 months later Shaun and his business partner Chris Nutt started their own training business at The Oaks so I moved in with Shaun to help them out as well. We have the same passion for the sport – we both love it.”
From their facility at The Oaks – formerly the home of the country’s biggest breeder Paul Wheeler – Coleman and Evans have reared and broken in some of the best chasers in the country. They have also prepared a steady stream of winners from their small racing team, including Thursday night’s Sapphire Crown finalist Star Torana (pictured above with Kayla-Jane and her brother, Korey).
Lining up in her sixth group final, Star Torana qualified for the race with a strong run behind Nymeria in last week’s heats. She had already recorded a win at Sandown Park, having won a heat of the Laurels in December 2015. She was scratched from the semi finals the following week after being bitten by a spider, and Coleman believes that having a refresher on the track will help her chances on Thursday night.
“She usually begins well at Wentworth Park but she only began OK last week, so hopefully having had another look at the boxes and the track she’ll begin a bit better this time. She ran home quite well, she is quite strong, but she’s better to be in front.
“She’s probably not the fastest greyhound around but she’s really consistent and gives her all every time. She is a beautiful animal and we love her to pieces, and she deserves to win a race like this. Hopefully Thursday night she can break through.”
In addition to training greyhounds for a small number of owners, Coleman is also an active breeder and may have unearthed a future star by the name of Cardiology. Cardiology has won five her last seven starts (and a close runner up in the other two), including an impressive 11 length victory over 720m at Wentworth Park, a run that caught the eye of resident Wentworth Park race caller Tim Newbold.
“I’ve followed Cardiology closely from day one and she’s always given the impression she’d relish the staying trip,” said Newbold.
“She’s still learning and with a bit maturity under her belt, I think she’ll develop into the nation’s next staying star. The Sandown Cup is easily her biggest test but I think she’s up to it at this stage of her career.”
That’s high praise for a greyhound that only recently turned two years of age. The potential – and the attention that comes with it – is both an exciting and daunting proposition for Coleman.
“I haven’t had to deal with the media side of it yet so I’m not really used to it,” she continued.
“I’m not going to complain, I might not get another one like her. People keep asking about her, but I think because I’m with them all the time I don’t read into it as much as what others do. Whether they’re good or bad I love all of my dogs the same.”
Cardiology rounded out her RSN927 Sandown Cup preparation with an impressive 41.93 trial over the distance last Thursday night. It was a head turning performance for a greyhound that had never travelled interstate before, and one that Coleman is hopeful she can improve on Thursday night.
“I think she can improve on her trial, I think she can go around 41.7. Her first look last week was a bit off at the first section, but I think that’s to be expected with the different style of boxes, lure and with the travelling. She doesn’t really need to improve much more, but I think there’s a little bit of improvement there.
“She’s in one of the better heats so she has to do everything right, there’s no room for error, I just hope she can get to the lead from the outside box. She used to get a bit tired from out in front because she’d go so hard. Her run home time is better when she doesn’t lead, but to get to the final her best chance is to lead and hopefully hang on at the line. With the few extra runs over the distance she should be a bit stronger so hopefully she can hang on.”
The final of the $145,000 Sapphire Crown is the first leg of a group 1 double on Thursday night, which also features the final of the $145,000 Harrison-Dawson.
There will also be a record seven RSN927 Sandown Cup heats to round out a massive night of greyhound racing, with the final of the $250,000 RSN927 Sandown Cup – the world’s richest race for stayers – to be run on Thursday 26 May.
TAB.com.au is offering a fixed odds market on all three feature events.
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Paua To Burn defends her Sapphire Crown
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