Here Comes Joe In The National Derby

Jihad "Joe" Estephan is on the verge of celebrating the most unlikely of Group 1 victories when Here Comes Joe exits box one in Friday night's Ladbrokes National Derby Final at Wentworth Park.

Incredibly, Here Comes Joe, the winner of five of his seven starts, is the first and only greyhound 65-year-old Estephan, a former taxi driver who immigrated to Australia from Lebanon as a teenager, has trained.

"This is the first greyhound I've trained in my life," Estephan said proudly.

"I didn't know what Group 1 meant until another trainer told me!

"I didn't know much about greyhounds before but I liked the sport and enjoyed betting on it.

"I had a few different jobs, including owning a taxi. But I was attacked twice in the taxi, so I sold it. Then after I had a small accident my doctor told me I shouldn't drive anymore so I retired. Retirement was very boring so I bought this dog."

Here Comes Joe, a March '18 son of super sire Barcia Bale and Sovereign Queen, made his Wentworth Park and 500m debut in last Friday's Derby heats, coming to the city after winning four races at Goulburn over 350m (3) and 440m.

Drawn in box four in the last of five heats, Here Comes Joe was a $9 outsider but he began well and drove to the lead on the first turn and was never in danger of defeat, defeating Oh Mickey by 3.75 lengths in 30.01s.

The possibility of a fairy tale Derby triumph for Menai-based owner/trainer Estephan and his family then moved one step closer to reality when Here Comes Joe drew the coveted red box for the $75,000 to-the-winner decider.

TAB reacted by installing the lightly-raced contender on the third line of betting at $4.60, behind boom Victorian raiders Simon Told Helen ($2.25) and Hard Style Rico ($3).

"He's going to be very close in the Derby," Estephan said bullishly.

"I sleep with this dog day and night and I know him better than anyone. I knew he was going to win his heat last week. I even told Jeff Collerson (veteran journalist) that if he didn't win I would kill myself! 

"He used to miss the start but he's starting to jump better. My vet told me not to let anyone else put the dog in the boxes because he only loves me!

"When he had his first start at Bulli, I let a friend box him but the dog was looking for me to see where I was and he missed the start and ran second. The only other time he's been beaten was in the Fireball Final at Goulburn when he got hit three times but stormed home to run third.

"If I win the Derby I'm going to share the money with my six grandchildren. 

"The money doesn't make you happy, the greyhound makes you happy. I've been very lucky because in every thousand dogs you would only get one like him."  

Estephan got his first hands-on greyhound experience with an under-performing dog called Kazmic's Belle that was owned by his son Norm, who then fatefully took his father to view a litter of pups bred by Subawa Ngurah.

"My son asked me to come and look at the puppies with him," Estephan explained.

"They were six months old and Here Come Joe's brothers and sisters were attacking him and jumping all over him. I told Norm that was the dog I wanted because the others are attacking him because they're jealous!

"He cost $5000 but Subby (Ngurah) dropped the price by $1000. I bet he wouldn't have done that if he knew how good the dog would be!"