Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Black Spring, Springvale Alysa and Bourne Thanks, three of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s top contenders for the SA Country Cup, look to be ready for the local heats which will be run at Tara Raceway on Sunday, September 22.
This follows the trio’s winning performances at the local track last Sunday with Black Spring, last early from box eight before getting busy down the back straight in the Trackside Meats Mixed Stake (512 metres), and powering home for a 1½ lengths win over Danyo’s Cally in a best of day 30.07 seconds.
Earlier in the day, proven 512 metre performer Springvale Alysa took full advantage of box one when leading all the way and holding off Faster Bolt to win by a half length in 23.17 seconds in the Laser Electrical Mixed Stake (400 m).
And Bourne Thanks, also proven at 512 metres, couldn’t match the early pace of Another Scenario and Bushman’s Mate in the Gambier Vets Stake (512 m) but stormed home for a one length win in 23.34 seconds.
All three have diverse backgrounds.
Black Spring found his way to Cap Abbott’s Edenhope kennels prior to racing after having been assessed as not up to Victorian city standard. Now, 55 starts later, he’s won 15 races and more than $20,000 in stakemoney with Abbott summing him up pretty well: “If he gets a clear run he’s always in the race.”
By Spring Gun, he’s out of Lektra Scarlett, currently Tara Raceway’s leading dam with 23 wins. With 10 wins, Black Spring has won more races than any other greyhound this year at Tara Raceway and after last Sunday’s success now shares the Greyhound of the Year lead with Dimora Flash on 51 points.
Springvale Alysa was purchased for $2000 by the Kongorong-based Bungaloo Syndicate after a second placing in a maiden at Angle Park early last year. All told, she’s now won 18 races and more than $21,000 in stakemoney.
Trained by John Little, the nicely bred black bitch is by Dyna Double One out of 18-race winner Springvale Cool, who in turn is a daughter of Cool Keepsake who won 22 races and $38,000 in stakemoney.
Bourne Thanks, who began racing in January this year and has now won nine races, is owned by Connie Miller and David Peckham and trained by the latter at Allendale East where the daughter of Barcia Bale x Thanks Tubby was bred.
Thanks Tubby (Superman x Irish Fantasy) won 20 races at Tara Raceway over 400 metres, 512 metres and 600 metres, and held the 512 metre track record at 29.60 seconds from June 1, 2014 until Brazen Bomber lowered that time to 29.55 seconds three years later.
And there’s plenty of Country Cup form in Bourne Thanks’ line with Thanks Tubby representing Mount Gambier at Strathalbyn in 2014 and again the following year at Gawler.
Meanwhile, Bourne Thanks shares the lead with kennelmate Azalea Monelli in the Tara Trackstar No. 2, the leading point scorers at Tara Raceway between July and December to contest the final in early 2020.
The Tara Trackstar No. 1, covering the first six months of the year, was won by the Peckham-trained Flash Jackie, a daughter of Dyna Double One and Striking Viking – Thanks Tubby’s litter sister.
Tara Trackstar No. 2 leading point scorers: 27 Azalea Monelli, Bourne Thanks; 19 Dyna Naitch; 17 Saucy Sav, United Lass; 16 Rebel Ruth, Springvale Alysa; 15 Banjo Fozz; 14 Cee Me Shine, Dimora Bekim, Spinning Jakit, Zuberi.