Tuesday, March 10, 2020
While it was a case of greyhound trainers Nicole Stanley, Kevin Mugavin, Brendan Bunworth and David Peckham all leading in doubles at last Sunday’s Tara Raceway meeting, it was the Penshurst-based Bunworth who caused the most “mayhem”.
His day kicked off with an early win in a grade six over 400 metres by Call Me Silk who was always on the pace before finishing slightly the better to defeat reserve runner Bourne Attitude by a neck in 23.47 seconds.
But it was the Bunworth owned and trained Ashby Mayhem who later in the day created a huge impression when defeating a fair sort of grade five field over 512 metres in the Trackside Meats Stake.
A finalist in last month’s Summer Classic, giveaway greyhound Ashby Mayhem gained a run last Sunday as a reserve when another classic finalist in Rocketline was scratched.
And the well-bred daughter of Barcia Bale x Glass Roof, after going straight to the front from box two, was never going to be run down, eventually running out a nine length winner over another classic finalist in Perseverance.
The enormity of the win was probably not all that surprising given the winning time – 29.47 seconds.
In fact, only two greyhounds had run quicker at Tara Raceway over 512 metres this year – Dyna Carnie twice with times of 29.33 seconds and 29.43 seconds while the remarkably consistent Spring Value ran 29.44 seconds last month.
Of course, with Ashby Mayhem’s winning time came the inevitable discussion regarding her taking her place in this year’s Bourne Kennels Mount Gambier Cup (512 m), heats of which will be conducted on Sunday, March 29.
However, speaking after the win, Bunworth said he was unlikely to run the black bitch in this year’s Group Listed event.
“I reckon I might be asking a bit too much of her at this stage,” he said. “At 23 months of age she’s still very immature, having had only a handful of starts so it’s extremely doubtful that she’ll be running in the cup.”
Meanwhile, Ashby Mayhem will take on a tidy Novice 400 metre field, which includes the front running Mauritian Rascal and the strong finishing Don’s Scolari, at Thursday’s Tara Raceway time-graded meeting.
Don’s Scolari, a son of Droopys Scolari x Brellie Lee, opened his local winning account last week for Mount Moriac owner-trainer Kevin Ward when finishing strongly to defeat early leader Mauritian Rascal by three lengths in a quick 23.03 seconds.
Ward said the black dog had been a giveaway as he had not been chasing well.
“I actually got him before he raced and it took a while to get him going,” he said. “I think a run behind the finish-on-lure here the previous week helped to sharpen him up.”
But back to last Sunday and one greyhound that will be running in the cup – all being well – will be Mugavin’s Spring Value who brought up his fifth win this year at Tara Raceway when leading all the way in the Open (512 m) to defeat Rotate by 5½ lengths in 29.49 seconds.
The Killarney owner-trainer will be chasing his third Mount Gambier Cup with the son of Spring Gun x Magic Matese – Poetic Magic successful in 2006 and Rich Shiraz in 2012.
Earlier, Spring Value’s older half-brother Nitro Value (by Nitro Burst) was Mugavin’s first leg of a double when involved in a stirring three-way go with Caramel Blonde and Wilbur Deeds in the Bartholomew Pick 6 Stake (400 m).
With Caramel Blonde opening up a big lead early, it was left to Wilbur Deeds to do the chasing before Nitro Value, a distant third down the back, stormed home for a head win over Wilbur Deeds with a further neck back to the early leader in 23.25 seconds.