Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club

Tara Raceway, Lake Terrace East, Mount Gambier, SA

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Cadillac Racing Sponsors of Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing

Black Spring’s title well-deserved

Thursday, February 6, 2020

They certainly don’t come much more versatile or durable than Black Spring, the 2019 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year.

Cap Abbott and Kerry Hawker with Black Spring, the 2019 Greyhound of the Year.

Owned and trained at Edenhope by Cap Abbott, a great supporter of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club, Black Spring went around Tara Raceway on 35 occasions for four 512 metre wins, eight wins over 600 metres and one distance win (732 metres).

And, of course, there were runs elsewhere, Black Spring also racing at Angle Park, The Meadows, Warrnambool, Horsham and Bendigo during 2019.

All told, the son of Spring Gun x Lektra Scarlett won 13 races as well as running nine seconds and four thirds, accumulating 74 points at the local track during 2019.

The late challenge, and there’s generally one of those – Oh No Beta desperately close to Paraphernalia in 2018, and Baz’s Moment chasing Fiorelli Rose in 2017 – came from Cryer’s Harper.

The daughter of Spud Regis x Cryer’s Midget won nine of her last 11 starts for the year to also finish with 13 wins but with less placings and 68 points for Apsley trainer Tom Cryer.

Winner of the 2011 GOTY, Cryer’s Midget’s subsequent first litter by Spring Gun produced the 2015 winner in Cryer’s Fred.

Black Spring, looking resplendent in his GOTY rug at last Sunday’s Tara Raceway presentation, was joined by connections of some previous award winners including Nicole Stanley (2016 Old Jock, 2017 Fiorelli Rose), Tom Cryer (2015 Cryer’s Fred), Steve Bartholomew (2013 Just Humphrey), Ralph Patzel (1997 Ashanti Gem) and Jack Casey (2014 Rouse Flyer).

Judy Sellen, Noel Perry, Nicole Stanley, Tom Cryer, Steve Bartholomew, Ralph Patzel, Cap Abbott, Jack Casey and Kerry Hawker pictured with 2019 Greyhound of the Year Black Spring.

The first Mount Gambier GOTY was awarded in 1979-1980 and won by the Frank Brennan trained Plain Bonny, a daughter of Dusty Trail x Real Truth.

But it was Kenzel Lad (Satan’s Shroud x Gaylee Rose) who dominated the GOTY out at Glenburnie, successful in 1984-1985, winning it jointly with Reeling Away the following year and then successful again in 1986-1987.

Meanwhile, Black Spring contested the Ballarat Distance Challenge Prelude 3 (660 m) last night. Overcoming a slow start, he worked home well for a 2¾ length second to the odds-on favourite Shima Mist.


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