Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Allendale East greyhound trainer David Peckham’s Mount Gambier Cup hopes took a real hit this week after Rose Ali, a winner of five races from seven starts this year at Tara Raceway, was transferred to Victoria.

A personal best 512 metre time at the track of 29.72 seconds, run on February 6, looked to have the daughter of My Bro Fabio and Born Ali right in the mix for this year’s Group Listed event, Peckham still chasing his first Mount Gambier Cup win after a desperately close second with Bourne Again behind Lots Of Yap in 2015.

Peckham said Rose Ali’s owner, Noel Mugavin of Warrambool, had contacted him earlier this week to inform him that he had decided to send the black bitch to leading trainer Robert Britton of Lara with a view to contesting the forthcoming Launching Pad series.

“It’s disappointing, because I thought she would have been competitive in the cup,” he said. “But I respect Noel’s decision and wish him all the best in the Launching Pad.”

The 2019 Launching Pad boasts a massive $432,000 in stakemoney with the winner of the Group 2 final, run over 515 metres at Sandown Park on Thursday, April 18, collecting $150,000.

The sweepstakes series, which is open to greyhounds with 1-6 wins and no more than 30 starts, carries a $2000 entry fee.

For Peckham, it had been a good start to the year with 20 winners seeing him sitting in second spot in the Ian Badger Trainer of the Year award and Rose Ali sharing the lead with Dimora Flash in the Greyhound of the Year.

And there’s been a bit happening recently out at Allendale East with two Worm Burner litters being whelped – two bitches and three dogs out of 13-race winner Maximum Bella while Thanks Tubby, former Tara Raceway 512 metre record holder, produced two dogs and 4 bitches.

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