By David Gilbert
SINCE the running of the Mount Gambier Gold Cup out at Glenburnie was moved from May to December a few years ago, controversy has raged throughout the community ever since as to the best time of the year to run it.
For most of the Mount Gambier Racing Club’s long and proud history, the cup carnival was run in June before it was moved forward to May.
For some years it was a three-day cup carnival (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), before reverting back to a two-day carnival and now it is simply a one-day event.
The original idea to run it in December was to boost cup day attendance by having it in the warmer weather, but that never eventuated and the most recent December cup, run in 2019, only attracted around 2,000 people.
Even the committee of the Mount Gambier Racing Club is divided on the issue, so much so that a survey was recently instigated to gauge the feelings of members, trainers, sponsors and also the general public.
Cafpirco trainer Dean Saxon spoke extremely well when interviewed on radio recently when giving his views on the subject.
The survey comprises 10 questions with no specific closing date and is displayed on the club’s Facebook page.
It can also be obtained by contacting either Brett Watson or Naomi Mitchell at the club (8725 4466).
Input from all ages is most welcome to help decide once and for all the best time of the year to run our gold cup.
Personally, I am in favour of running it in autumn for a variety of reasons.
FIRST METROPOLITAN WINNER
FOR some time, one of the ambitions left in the life span of Frances trainer Lindsay Cadzow was to have a metropolitan winner.
The 63-year-old had come close on some occasions and his dream became a reality last Saturday at Murray Bridge.
Not that many punters were too thrilled though when Wurlies Lastchance burst between runners in the final 100 metres on the soft going to take out the $44,750 1200-metre BM 68 handicap for fillies and mares.
After all, Wurlies Lastchance was a 100/1 chance with the bookies and paid $142.40 for the win with our tote.
The mare was resuming from a three-month spell and her only first-up placing previously was a third from four tries.
However, Cadzow was surprised at the generous odds bet about the seven-year-old whose last win was on Naracoorte cup day on February 7 this year.
“Her rain affected form is quite good,” he commented, referring to her record of three wins and two placings from seven starts on soft or heavy going.
“She was due to return to racing four weeks ago, but she had a little issue and I had to back off with her, then I injured my knee as well.”
“Since her last run in May, she has not seen a racetrack as Bordertown is currently closed because of the weather and I’ve galloped her here at home on our 2000-metre sand track.”
Since joining the Cadzow stable from the David Halliday yard at Gawler in the autumn of last year, Wurlies Lastchance has more than paid her way, winning four of her 17 starts.
Her win last Saturday proved to be a lucky, late pick-up ride for Eran Boyd, replacing Dylan Caboche who could not make the weight.
“Dylan had won twice on her before and a couple of other jockeys I asked to ride her on Saturday were already riding in the race,” Cadzow said.
Cadzow, a brother to well known mentor Sue Jaensch, is keen to hit the road again this weekend and Wurlies Lastchance will line up at Morphettville tomorrow.
The mare will again be around the 100/1 mark as she takes on the top sprinters in this state in the Group 3 Spring Stakes over 1200 metres.
“She has backed up well in the past and after Eran’s top ride last Saturday, I am keen to retain her for the ride,” Cadzow said.
Cadzow has his 600-acre property 10 kilometres north of Frances and currently has five horses in work, including a couple of unraced ones.
AGM TIME
MEMBERS and supporters of the Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club are invited to gather next Tuesday night (August 17) in the A&H Society room at the Greenwald Paceway at 7.30pm for the club’s AGM.
The new local season is programmed to commence on Friday, November 5, the first of 17 meetings through until May next year.
Once again, the Mount Gambier gold cup meeting has been given Saturday night status and will be run on March 12, 2022.
Globe Derby Park last Saturday night was once again a happy hunting ground for Mount Gambier trainers.
There is simply no stopping the Steve Fennell trained Vain Mara at present and he made it five wins in succession when scoring in the feature event, the NR 72 pace.
In what was probably his biggest test to date, Vain Mara ($2.30 fav.) took on a strong field and was untroubled to lead all the way for Samantha Pascoe, easily registering the fastest mile rate of the night (1.57.6).
Half an hour earlier, trainer Kevin Von Duve was again in the winner’s stall after his ultra consistent pacer Springfield Affair ($3.60) also led all the way in the NR 49 pace for driver Gaita Pullicino.
WEATHER PLAYING HAVOC
HAVING our wettest July for decades has, not surprisingly, disrupted race meetings in this region.
It came as no shock last Sunday’s Bordertown meeting was abandoned 48 hours earlier due to the state of the track.
Just over the border, Coleraine has suddenly become the “go to” racecourse in the past week.
Coleraine hosted the Warrnambool meeting last Thursday and then the transferred Casterton meeting last Sunday.
Officials had to pull the pin on the Casterton meeting when a burst water pipe caused a hole to form in a most inappropriate spot, namely half way up the home straight.
Coleraine is due to stage its own meeting this Sunday which will make it three meetings in 10 days at a track that normally holds only two meetings a year.
And, who is the local owner of a city winning horse who got somewhat confused recently?
When explaining to a group of friends as to why his horse got beat last start, he claimed one of the reasons was because “the fascinators were taken off her.”
Gallopers wearing fascinators? What next?
We think he meant to say the pacifiers were removed.
HAS REALLY HIT HIS STRAPS
IT took a while, but former Hong Kong racecaller Brett Davis, now the number one gallops caller here in South Australia, has really mastered his craft and his race calls and tipping are of the highest quality.
For the first six months after Davis came home to South Australia, many were wondering if the right appointment had been made with some not so flash calls, but it has been an upward spiral since.
