Frosty Jay Jay, Kel Greenough and Paw Licking at Greenough’s Pearcedale property. PIC Jason Sammon

By Ryan Reynolds, Geelong Advertiser, Thursday 17 October 2013

PEARCEDALE greyhound trainer Kel Greenough fears he might find one better in tomorrow’s Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup.

Greenough is chasing a $50,000 country cup bonus with Paw Licking, but talented Jason Thompson star Black Magic Opal will head into the race as red-hot favourite.

Paw Licking has already won two country cups and needs to win one more to score the bonus.

“It would have been exciting if Black Magic Opal wasn’t there,” Greenough said.

“If that (Black Magic Opal missing the field) happened, I might think I was a realistic chance.

“Black Magic Opal looks like he has a mortgage on the race.

“It would need to be a massive turnaround in four days (for us to beat Black Magic Opal).

“But it is a dog race and anything can happen in a dog race.”

Greenough also qualified talented chaser Frosty Jay Jay for the race.

“We thought he’d win his heat. He trialled the same time as when he won his heat,” he said.

“It wasn’t a surprise.”

Paw Licking is drawn well in box eight, but Greenough said he’d prefer it if he could swap with Frosty Jay Jay (box one).

Paw Licking is suited off box eight, so hopefully he puts in a better performance than the other night,’ Greenough said.

“I would have liked to have seen him (Frosty Jay Jay) draw wider. One is not a good advantage for
that dog.

“To be honest, I would have preferred them to have drawn the other way around. The dog in box one definitely wants the eight and the dog in eight would adapt to box one.”

Greenough said he would need some luck to beat Black Magic Opal.

“He just flew around the other day,” Greenough said of Black Magic Opal’s track record breaking win. “He ran a brilliant early split it was sensational. It’s hard not to see him get a good run.

“We have to face it and match the challenge.”