ALLENDALE East greyhound trainer David Peckham is likely to look to the Mount Gambier division of the 512-metre SA Country Cup with Bourne Blackjack and Usain Insane after their wins at Tara Raceway on Sunday.
Bourne Blackjack, a son of Barcia Bale and Striking Viking, took his record to five wins and 10 minor placings from 19 starts when holding out Seabrook Noisey, Well Done Woody, Irka Jakit and Bushman’s Mate to score in a blanket finish in the Produce Store Stake over 512 metres in 30.40 seconds.
Peckham, in what has become something of a common occurrence at recent race meetings, was successful once again in the last race when Usain Insane led all the way to defeat speedy type George Regis and Cryer’s Sid in the 400-metre Gordon Refrigeration Mixed Stake in a quick 22.93 seconds – the third fastest run at the track this year.
Blitz And Bolt, another of his team to race on Sunday, is also likely to be set for the Country Cup after he has met his Metal Worx Iron Dog commitments – a second placing in Sunday’s first round over 600 metres having him in a nice position to qualify for Sunday week’s 512 metre final.
Heats of the Mount Gambier division of the SA Country Cup will be run at Tara Raceway on Sunday, September 23 with the $7375 final at Angle Park over 515 metres on Friday, October 12 – Adelaide Cup night.
Peckham is no stranger to Country Cup representation with Thanks Tubby and Bourne Again at Strathalbyn in 2014 and Thanks Tubby again in 2015 at Gawler.
And Blitz And Bolt, should he make his way through, would be well served as he is a winner of three races at Angle Park over 515 metres.
Another Country Cup contender to find winning form again on Sunday was the Tracie Price trained Swift Limes who led all the way from box six in the 512-metre Gambier Vets Stake, running out a 2½ length winner over Redda with Azumi Ryder a further 2½ lengths back in third spot in 30.07 seconds.
Following Swift Limes’s win, Price, who won the 2013 SA Country Cup at Gawler with Moorak Hope, has now trained 94 winners this year at Tara Raceway and 100 overall – Smart Knocka, Bekim Lucy’s, Cryer’s Plugger and Rockoon successful at Angle Park.
Meanwhile, Portland trainer Nicole Stanley said that Ben Nevis, this year’s Anniversary Cup winner, despite an impressive win in the 512-metre Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake was unlikely to line up in the Country Cup.
The black dog took over the running down the back straight from Solitary Lad before racing away to a four length win over Theo’s Thunder in a best of day 29.95 seconds.
Stanley, who won the 2016 SA Country Cup at Strathalbyn with Berry Bling, said that she much preferred to leave Ben Nevis at Tara Raceway behind the finish-on-lure rather than risk him at Angle Park.
“To be honest, I half thought about the Country Cup but after three racing offences at Angle Park I figured the safer option would be to leave him at Tara Raceway where he has been quite successful,” she said.
And with the Country Cup in mind, Kongorong trainer John Little is likely to make the trip tonight to Angle Park with Springvale Alysa who is required to run a satisfactory trial at that track.
Springvale Alysa, unbeaten at Tara Raceway in five starts, on August 24 ran a personal best 30.03 seconds, a 512 metre time that prompted Little to give serious consideration to the forthcoming cup.
“She’s been cleared to race everywhere but Angle Park so to be on the safe side I need to have all the boxes ticked before she lines up in a Country Cup heat down here,” he said.
Time honours on Sunday over the short course went the way of the Nifty Lenehan owned and trained Lektra Brandy who, after a slow start, gained a clear run to find the front down the back in the winningformula.net.au Stake.
From then on the black bitch never looked like being beaten, eventually running out a 4½ length winner over Lobster Hill in a blistering 22.90 seconds.
The win was the Portland-trained Lektra Brandy’s first in three months and the time the second fastest this year, eclipsed only by Wise Stella who ran 22.89 seconds in July.
And Kevin Ashton, who regularly makes the long trip over from Charlton, was rewarded once again when rising four-year-old Dimora Bekim won his second 400 metre race in succession.
Leading all the way from box three in the Williams Crane Hire Stake, the seasoned campaigner was a 6½ length winner in 23.35 seconds, Ashton believing his decision to scrap the pre-race preview with the black dog contributing to his better box manners.
