Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley would have been hoping for another 732 metre event at Tara Raceway yesterday for his dour stayer Mick’s Kimmy.
But as things turned out he was happy enough to settle for being able to cross the border for a second consecutive week and gain a start with his daughter of Barcia Bale x Mick’s Angel in the Swallow Drive Meats Mixed Stake (600 m).
Subsequently, after being handy throughout from box one in the five-dog field, the fawn bitch finished too strongly for Tracie Price’s long odds-on Whole Way when winning by 2¾ lengths in 35.32 seconds.
The comment that Mick’s Kimmy was a much better dog than her three wins from 72 starts was not lost on Crawley who previously had enjoyed success at Tara Raceway with Zuma Creek and Bomber Creek. And who, in 2016, had reached the final of the Mount Gambier Cup with Fluke Of Fantasy.
“The fact that we haven’t been able to get over here on a regular basis for close to two years certainly hasn’t helped her cause,” he said.
“Today’s win was actually Mick’s Kimmy’s first anywhere this year. Her last win had been in December 2020 when she was successful over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.”
And for Crawley, who has had the July 2018 whelping in his kennels since she was 10 months old, the win continued a 10-year successful relationship he has enjoyed with Victorian owner Faye Craig.
“Faye also owns Mick’s Kimmy’s dam Mick’s Angel who raced against many of the top stayers including Fanta Bale, Rippin’ Sam, Bogie Bekim and Burn One Down. She eventually won 12 races and something like $85,000 in stakemoney.”
Mick’s Angel actually won her last race at Tara Raceway – on Mount Gambier Cup day in March 2018 – when she defeated Cryer’s Plugger over 732 metres for Hopper’s Crossing trainer Allen Meyer.
When Meyer was later asked what had prompted him to venture to the Mount Gambier track for the first time he replied that he had been tired of getting his head kicked in on Melbourne tracks by Fanta Bale.
Mick’s Kimmy’s win was the second leg of a double for Crawley after Cryptic Signal had been successful in the previous race. This was his best day at the local track since Drogheda County and Easter Orchid won on December 22 two years ago.
A $23 chance after having been out of the winner’s circle since July, Cryptic Signal led all the way to defeat Simba by 1½ lengths in a personal best time of 23.24 seconds in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (400 m).
The son of Barcia Bale x Pink Shoelaces’ racing career kicked off at Tara Raceway 12 months ago when the 36 kilograms brindle dog was successful over the now-defunct 277 metres distance in 16.34 seconds.