ALLENDALE East greyhound Bourne Blackjack, after a promising first-up third at Tara Raceway last week, went right on with the job at Sunday’s meeting with an impressive win in the JB Irrigation Maiden Stake over 512 metres.
Owned and trained by David Peckham of the Bourne Kennels, the black dog was quickly away from box two in the first race on the 12-race card and was never headed in his one length win over perennial placegetter Andrew’s Gift in 30.13 seconds – which ultimately turned out to be the fastest of the day.
By high-profile sire Barcia Bale, Bourne Blackjack is out of Striking Viking, a winner of 15 races, 14 of those at Tara Raceway while being trained by Peckham.
She was also recognised as the first official 600 metre record holder with a run on November 30, 2014 of 35.38 seconds which stood until the following March cup carnival when Cheap Currency ran 35.11 seconds.
Peckham had three of the litter engaged on Sunday – Viking Storm, at only her third start, running a second consecutive second, this time to Design A Dream in the 400-metre Greg Martlew Autos
Maiden Stake while Viking Bee Bee ran her third consecutive third placing, behind Blanko and Boomer Hargen, in the Greyhound-Data.com Stake over 512 metres.
Both Viking Storm and Viking Bee Bee are raced by Happy Valley breeder Ross Schurgott who gave Peckham Bourne Blackjack as a pup in return for his help in whelping the litter back in May
2016.
The litter was broken-in by Rod Millington of Mildura with Peckham saying that Bourne Blackjack had broken-in quite well but certainly was not the fastest.
“In fact, even in his trials at Tara Raceway leading up to his race debut he certainly had not broken any track records but I was pleased with his debut effort last week and certainly delighted with his effort today,” he said.
By Superman x Irish Fantasy, Striking Viking has another litter, by Dyna Double One, approaching 12 months while her litter sister, former Tara Raceway 512 metre record holder Thanks Tubby, has a 13-month-old litter – also by Barcia Bale – out at Allendale East being prepared for breaking-in.
Meanwhile, a lift-out section from the Thursday, May 13, 1993 edition of The Border Watch, handed to the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club for inclusion in its memorabilia section, made for interesting reading.
“As the 1992-93 season draws to a close, the awards are full of interest. And the club could add a further piece of history should teenager David Peckham win the owner-trainer award,” wrote George Kay.
“As perhaps the youngest registered trainer in South Australia, Peckham (113 points) leads Col Sims (102½) and Sharon Gordon (96) in a very close tussle.”
Hard-earned third win for Chilly Kiss
ALSO trained at the Bourne Kennels, by Connie Miller is Chilly Kiss, who continued her good run this year with a keenly contested win over Odd Boots in Sunday’s Williams Crane Hire Stake over 512 metres.
Away fairly from box eight, the brindle daughter of Spring Gun x Chilly Babe worked into second spot down the back, chasing Cryer’s Sid until the home turn where she railed through to take the lead before holding off a determined bid from Odd Boots to win by a half head in 30.20 seconds.
All told, Chilly Kiss, who is owned by Miller’s granddaughter Clarissa, has now won three races this year, including The Tankman 600 at cup time, as well as running five seconds and three thirds to give her a total of 25 points and the lead in this year’s Greyhound of the Year award.
A couple of races later, give away greyhound Miss Zorro led all the way for Monty Wilson to defeat Luca Flyer by a half length with Run Razor Run flying home for third in the 400-metre Klaassens Contractors Stake in a time of 23.57 seconds.
Miss Zorro’s win was her third overall but her first for Wilson and his wife Jen who took over the black bitch in September last year. The win also broke a run of outs for the Mumbannar trainer who had last been successful back on November 5 last year with Bushman’s Wish.
Chilly Kiss and Miss Zorro are bred on similar lines, both being by Spring Gun and both granddaughters of Miss Chilli, a winner of 14 races and $43,000 in prizemoney.
And while Wilson certainly was not knocking Sunday’s win with Miss Zorro it does now mean that she will be ineligible for next Sunday’s Ivor Dowdell Memorial heats, a grade five series over 400 metres.
Wilson, who won last year’s inaugural Dowdell Memorial with Lektra Excess, said he was hopeful of having last year’s winner once again lining up in the heats.
The memorial final will be run at the club’s Anzac meeting on Wednesday, April 25 with racing then ceasing until Sunday, May 13 while the race track undergoes a major upgrade.
