It’s probably fair to say that Kongorong trainer John Little would have gone into last Sunday’s Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup final (512 metres) feeling reasonably confident with Bungaloo Anne.

After all, the white and black daughter of Pure Titanium and Bungaloo Sunset had run a personal best time of 29.70 seconds the previous week in a her heat. And then she had drawn ideally in box one in the final.

However, several hours before the finalists were placed in the boxes for the 11th running of the Christmas Cup drama was unfolding in the kennel house.

Race favourite Bungaloo Anne, after being checked over by the veterinary surgeon prior to kennelling, was required to undergo a further examination prior to the running of the final.

But after several anxious hours for Little, all appeared to be well with her as she pranced around in the preview area before the running of the race.

In what was a pretty handy Christmas Cup field, Bungaloo Anne jumped straight to the front and down the back had opened up a handy break over Beatific. The race looked to be well within her keeping.

Into the home straight, though, just momentarily it appeared as though Beatific, third in last month’s Newman McDonnell Memorial final, might have had the leader’s measure. But in a driving finish Bungaloo Anne dug deep to defeat Beatific and Shamrock Boy.

John Little, Liz Newberry and Kevin Mullan had just won their first feature race.

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