Lara-trained greyhound Uriel Bale’s win in the third heat of last Sunday’s Cadillac Racing Mount Gambier Cup (512 metres) in track record time of 29.15 seconds was certainly the highlight of the eight heats.
Having only his 16th start, the January 2022 black dog led all the way from box seven for a 9¾ length win over smart local chaser Wild Banker. His time lowered the previous record of 29.18 seconds, run on August 28, 2022 by Victa Grosso.
Owned by his breeder, Brendan Wheeler, Uriel Bale is by Barcia Bale out of 10-race winner Welsly Bale, a daughter of the imported Bella Infrared and Xylia Allen who won 40 races and more than $700,000 in prize money.
Speaking after the race, trainer Rob Camilleri said Uriel Bale had always shown a bit.
“He’s a young dog on the way up,” he said. “And I guess you could say we were very fortunate that he got a good run throughout. Having never seen the track, it certainly saved a five-hour drive to trial him there prior to the heats.
“Having previously raced dogs in the Mount Gambier Cup we thought the event might be a good race for him – in between classes, if you like.
“And so far it’s worked out pretty well, ticking all the boxes given that he’s now also seen another track and experienced an extended period of travelling.”
Handling Uriel Bale last Sunday was Ricky Coleman, son of Deb, a trainer in her own right and partner of Camilleri.
The partnership had previously enjoyed Mount Gambier Cup success – Zipping Zarbo defeating Renewed in 29.56 seconds in 2021.
And in 2020 they had been training Sunset Milo for Adelaide owner Tim Aloisi who, due to Covid restrictions, handled the son of My Bro Fabio and Jewel Action when he won the cup in a race record 29.42 seconds.
Previous to that, in 2019, Camilleri and Coleman’s Slingshot Hammer went down narrowly to the locally owned and trained Galactic Athena in what was a memorable cup.
Second-fastest of the heats was Mighty Quinn who virtually led all the way from box two when defeating Kai Bale by 2½ lengths in 29.29 seconds for Echuca trainer Rod Clark – at Tara Raceway for the first time.
The son of Shima Shine and Swift Current went into the race as an 11/1 chance with four wins to his name, all at Horsham. However, he had trialled at Tara Raceway earlier this year when in the hands of another trainer.
Involved in the sport for 30 years, Clark has enjoyed his fair share of success in that time. Shintaro Samurai won the 2011 Group 2 Hume Cup (600 m) at The Meadows while Oriental Amber won 27 races and close to $80,000 in prize money in 2020-2021.
Mighty Quinn is raced by the SMSK Racing Syndicate which is managed by Mick Crowe.
“The syndicate has purchased a few pups along the way and usually likes to purchase a cheaper so-called ‘lesser light’ to rear with their main acquisition,” said Clark, a former leading trainer at Horsham.
“And you’d be amazed just how many times the cheaper one turns out to be the pick of the two.”
Local trainers Tracie Price of Compton and Moorak-based Jason Newman will be represented in the Group 3 $36,000 final by Myall Mate and Purified respectively.
Myall Mate, bred and owned by Kilmany octogenarian couple Ray Gilmore and Judith Risk, displayed plenty of early dash when defeating Zygon Bale by 4¼ lengths in 29.59 seconds.
Newman will be chasing his second Mount Gambier Cup after Departure Gate had been successful in 2022. And last year he was represented in the final by Mr. Anderson.
Purified, owned by Lena Dureikina, wife of Adelaide owner-trainer Tim Aloisi who was successful last Sunday with Zipping Neutron in the Exchange Printers Mixed Stake (600 m), was always handily placed before finishing strongly for a three-quarter length win over Canya Exceed in 29.89 seconds.
Chapel Road, raced by the Lalli and Maynard Syndicate and trained at Two Wells by Kiah Hurley, ventured to Mount Gambier on the back of solid Murray Bridge Cup form.
The son of Bernardo and Sunset Senorita was coming off a five-month break when defeating Myall Mate in a heat of the Murray Bridge Cup (455 m) and then running second to Adhana Rico in the final.
Last Sunday Chapel Road jumped well from box seven in the second heat and in what was a tightly-contested affair finally broke clear in the home straight when winning by three lengths from Come On Kilkenny in 30.10 seconds.
The final (to be run on Sunday at Tara Raceway): 1 Chapel Road, 2 Mighty Quinn, 3 Bern By, 4 Purified, 5 Aston Marvel, 6 Myall Mate, 7 Paua Of Silence, 8 Uriel Bale. Res. 9 Kai Bale, 10 Adhana Rico.