MOYSTON breeder-trainer Peter Franklin this week forwarded a photograph of some of Blonde Caviar’s pups whelped on December 22, 2017 to the boom sire Barcia Bale.
All told, Blonde Caviar, a daughter of Where’s Pedro x Lemon Cruiser, whelped a litter of seven dogs and three bitches, a couple more than her first litter in May 2015 to US sire Bella Infrared.
Among the first litter is McIvor Verna, a winner of 10 races from 31 starts and $37,000 in prizemoney.
The fawn bitch, who holds the Tara Raceway 600 metre record at 34.84 seconds, will line up off the 10 metre mark in a 725 metre handicap at The Meadows tomorrow night.
And Horsham breeder-trainer Jeff Guy has advised the beautifully bred Frac Geek – by Where’s Pedro out of $360,000 winner Proven Impala – is due to whelp her first litter this weekend to Barcia Bale.
Frac Geek was a winner of 12 races at Sandown Park, The Meadows, Horsham and Bendigo as well as three races in succession at Tara Raceway over 512 metres, 600 metres and 400 metres in September last year.
Cup contenders in winning form
MOUNT Gambier Cup contenders Xtreme Shine and Lektra Stomp look to be on track for next month’s Group Listed 512 metre event after registering smart wins in consecutive races over 485 metres at Horsham on Tuesday night.
Another member of the successful Barcia Bale x Xtreme Gretel litter, Xtreme Shine is trained at Portland by Robert Duncan who won successive 512 metre races with the black dog, both in under 30 seconds, at Tara Raceway in January.
An odds-on favourite from box one, Xtreme Shine shared the lead early with Why Not Archie before finishing powerfully to run out a three-and-a-half length winner in 27.50 seconds.
In the following race, former Tara Raceway 600 metre record holder Paraphernalia led for much of the journey before Team Lenehan’s Lektra Stomp, always handy in the run, finished powerfully to win by less than a length in 27.65 seconds.
By Walk Hard x Lektra Angie, Lektra Stomp ran another cup contender in Zuma Creek to one-and-a-quarter lengths in a heat of December’s 512-metre Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup and will return to Tara Raceway on Sunday for the 512-metre winningformula.net.au Mixed Stake – a race that he looks well placed in.
Paraphernalia, a winner of 23 races and more than $67,000 in prizemoney from 95 starts, is also likely to be back for a second crack at the cup.
Speaking earlier this week, Horsham trainer Jeff Guy said he was keen to get back again after the son of Big Daddy Cool and Scrappy Coco had failed to qualify for last year’s final when running second to Hutch in a heat.
And Lektra Viki, who ran fifth behind Lektra Stomp on Tuesday night, is likely to take on the 512-metre Peter Rocket Summer Classic, heats of which will be run at Tara Raceway on Sunday, February 11.
Trained at Toolong by Phil Lenehan, the January 2016 whelped Lektra Viki is by US sire KC And All out of Lektra Scarlett, a litter sister to Lektra Angie.
The black bitch has raced on 12 occasions for three wins, including a 25.49 seconds effort over 450 metres at Warrnambool – a time that should see her more than competitive at Tara Raceway against her own age.
Distance racing returns
DISTANCE racing returns to Tara Raceway on Sunday and while the 732-metre JB Irrigation Mixed Stake comprises only five dogs, it should turn out to be a keenly-contested affair.
Destini Montana, a winner in good time over 512 metres and 600 metres at Tara Raceway, made his distance debut at The Meadows over 725 metres on Wednesday, running home well to be narrowly beaten into second spot for Warrnambool trainer Kevin Finn.
Granted, the time was nothing flash, but the big white and brindle dog will keep coming and from box one should be hard to hold out.
Cryer’s Bob impressed at his distance debut in December for trainer Tom Cryer when defeating Emily As by 12ΒΌ lengths in 44 seconds and looks the testing material.
Meanwhile, Cryer reports Cryer’s Bob’s litter brother Cryer’s Plugger, also a 732-metre Tara Raceway winner, has returned to Apsley after a stint with Victorian trainer Steve White.
