By David Lewis
IT was back in 2018 Kongorong trainer John Little’s Springvale Alysa, after a 29.79 seconds heat win, finished third behind Hutch and Cryer’s Plugger in the Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup final over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.
Three years on and still chasing his first feature race win, Little will now be hoping it is a case of second time lucky as far as the Christmas Cup is concerned when Bungaloo Anne lines up in this Sunday’s final.
The white and black bitch has been a real revelation in recent weeks.
Last Sunday’s all the way win by 1¾ lengths in the first of two heats over Departure Gate in 29.70 seconds was her third consecutive win.
Bungaloo Anne, who is raced by the Bungaloo Syndicate which comprises Little, Liz Newberry and Kevin Mullan, makes for an interesting story.
“It was in 2015 that I spotted this unnamed well-bred bitch by Fear Zafonic x Sun’s Up advertised for $500 from her first win,” Little said.
“I thought she was probably worth a go but, to be honest, there was a time when I didn’t think there would be a first win.
“Later named Bungaloo Sunset, she did finally get it together at Tara Raceway though and eventually won seven races.
“As it turned out, the 2015 Christmas Cup was won by Fear The Rascal, also a son of Fear Zafonic out of Shannah’s Star – a litter sister to Sun’s Up.
“I figured Bungaloo Sunset might be worth a litter.
“So after much pedigree study I came up with the lightly-raced stud dog called Pure Titanium who won six races and still has relatively few pups on the ground.”
Later, Little whelped the litter in June 2019 and reared the pups at Kongorong before breaking them in at Tara Raceway.
“I have to say, they’ve turned out to be a bit of mixed bunch,” he said.
“Bungaloo Anne has now won 11 races at Tara Raceway this year and has been by far the most successful.
“And a win in this week’s Christmas Cup final with Bungaloo Anne would certainly cap off a terrific year for us.”
Meanwhile, Little reports he will soon commence breaking-in 22-race winner Springvale Alysa’s first litter for the syndicate.
Whelped in October 2020, the three dogs and three bitches are by Fabregas.
Following Aston Marlon’s win in the second heat of the Christmas Cup, Allendale East trainer David Peckham will now be chasing his fourth win in the event.
He won the inaugural cup in 2011 with Napoleon Wiz and again in 2013 with Bourne Again.
In 2019 he was successful with Squishy Pea in race-record time of 29.63 seconds.
Aston Marlon, a 36 kilogram son of Aston Dee Bee and Aston Regas, also brought up his third successive win when taking up the running from Beatific down the back before holding on to win by a length in 29.99 seconds.
Compton trainer Tracie Price has two finalists – former WA chaser Shamrock Boy and Tangelo Fire both finishing third in their respective heats.
Price will also be chasing his fourth Christmas Cup.
Who’s Doing What won the event in 2014, Fear The Rascal the following year, while Golly Gumdrops – who whelped to Mepunga Blazer in September – was successful last year.
Moorak trainer Jason Newman, who has enjoyed a good finish to the year, also has two finalists after Departure Gate and Beatific both turned in solid efforts to finish second in their heats.
Other Christmas Cup winners have been Lika Gem (2012), Glenville Jester (2016) and Hit The Runway (2017).
Greyhound Racing SA Racing Manager, Shaun Mathieson, confirmed due to the Christmas Cup heats being run as non-quadrella legs, the final would be a six-dog race.
From a racing perspective, the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s 2021 Christmas Meeting will feature finals of the Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup, the Santa Sprint (400m), the Peter Whitehead Memorial Maiden (400m) and the Christmas Challenge (600m).
This will be a family oriented day with canteen, bar and TAB facilities along with a kids’ playground complemented by outdoor games including Noughts and Crosses, Connect 4, Building Block Tower Game and a Bag Toss.
