November'07 - Greyhounds Queensland

WARREN Scannella reckons he’s justabout done his apprenticeship and is nowready to give this game a shake.Warren and his mate Scott Holmes havebought themselves a 40-acre property on theGatton-Esk Road at Gatton and are in theprocess of building a breaking-in complex.The bulldozers have been in preparing thetrack area, the kennels are planned and it isexpected to be up and running in Februarynext year.Warren, 49, is no newcomer to theeducation of greyhounds. He’s been at it fora decade or more, working on a couple ofproperties and also running his own.Scannella first got into greyhound racingback in 1983 when Peter Denaro establishedRustic Venture Kennels at Coominya.“I went to work for him when he firstopened up the property,” said Warren. “I wasa general helper working with the dogs allthe time.“I learnt a lot about greyhounds fromPeter.”He then moved on to help BobGlindemann the now deceased former top dogman who raced the “Glinell” dogs with hugesuccess throughout the south-east.“Bob was hard to work for,” said Warren.“He called a spade and spade and told youexactly what he thought. But I liked him.”Warren stayed there for a year.For the next three years he moved over toSpringwood Trial Track and initially workedfor the partnership of John Martin and hismum Connie.“John and his brother Paul were having afive-year on, five-year off, arrangement atSpringwood,” said Warren.“I worked at the track for both brothers.”When the opportunity came up for Warrento take over the Waterford Trial Track, hejumped at the chance.He stayed there for 18 months and alwayshad a full kennel block of 30 youngsterslearning the ropes of what this racing game isall about.“I broke in some really good dogs, likeIpswich record breaker Royston Raider forPeter Roy, the Futurity winner Lough Dergand Nujooloo for Reg Crawford,” saidWarren.“Nujooloo was good from the word go,doing everything right, but he just wasn’tputting the times on the board during breakingin,” said Warren. “That’s when Reg told mehe was only 11 months old.”Once Nujooloo grew up, those times cameand he eventually would become aQueensland greyhound of the year.“That little dog would stand on his headfor Reg,” said Warren of Nujooloo.All this time Warren was dabbling intraining. “Only one or two at any one timeand I admit I didn’t take it as seriously as I donow.”Warren’s marriage broke down soon afterand he admits he went missing for a while. “Iworked as a builder’s labourer for a while,but eventually got my head together and cameback to the dogs.”This time he went back to Springwood andfor the next three years worked with PaulMartin and Connie.“Connie could be a bit like BobGlindemann,” he said. “She too called a spadea spade. But she was great to me.”It wasn’t long before Warren’s lure drivingskills were being recognized and he took upthe full-time position as driver at Ipswich tworace nights and trial day. “I was also drivingat Albion Park on Friday afternoons to giveJack McDonald a break.”His greyhound training career has beengiven a boost of late with the inclusion of WildJuvante (Go Wild Teddy-Deo Juvante) in hiskennel at Logan.“It’s ironic isn’t it,” said Warren. “Justwhen there is great news about a possibletrack at Logan, here I am moving to Gattonto set up a track.”Wild Juvante recently won a heat of theDogs for Racing OverseasMust be under 26 monthsPh Steve Wilkes(07) 54465112 or 0427 319944Warren Scannella andWild Juvante.Sydney Cup to give Warren his first winnerat the track from his first starter there.“There was a split up in the ownershipand I was asked to take the bitch a while agobecause I had gone to school with BarryPups For Sale40 acre property provides ...* Spacious galloping paddockswith dams and shade* Quality feeding and wormingprogram* Pups taught to lead at anearly age and handledregularly* All pups kennelled beforebreaking in* Excellent facilities availablefor whelping littersWild ride tonew GattoncomplexHendy the spokesman for the syndicate,” saidWarren.“I couldn’t take her until back in Januaryand then decided to give her eight weeks offjust to get over any little injuries she mighthave had and start her all over again.”It worked and Wild Juvante has returnedto her staying best. She is one of just threedogs in the Scannella kennel.Warren will eventually keep Wild Juvantefor the syndicate that races her for herbreeding career when she finally retires,maybe towards the end of the year.In the meantime it is full steam ahead inpreparation for the February opening of thetrack.“It will be similar to the Ipswich track,400 metres in circumference,” he said.“Bevan Williamson is in the process of puttingit together for us now.“There is a home of the property. Scott isresigning from his work and my partnerNicola will take long service to be part of thepartnership as well.”Warren does not see the introduction ofanother breaking-in complex as any problemfor those already working.“There has been an increase in thenumbers of pups bred in Queensland latelyand I’m confident more than enough pups togo around among all the break-in complexes,”he said.Z ammit'sRearing andSpelling Farm'If you want yourpuppy to havegood nutrition,plenty ofgalloping andconstant care,take advantage ofyears ofexperience withinthe industry andgive it the beststart in life onour farm'GEORGEZAMMITFor any information, pedigrees, faxes, e-mails or photosContact George Zammit (07) 54266209The (November, 2007) Journal Page 19