By David Gilbert
SUCCESS and recognition for locals on their hometown cup day can become quite emotional affairs as we saw at Glenburnie last Friday.
The surprise packet was trainer Michael O’Leary who was reduced to tears at a presentation ceremony when it was announced that the area where trainers gather at track work and on race days is now officially known as the Michael O’Leary stand.
Everything was going well with Trevor White’s speech at the cup presentation until emotion took over mid-way through.
The thrill of finally winning a Mount Gambier gold cup as an owner was not lost on the club’s elder statesman, life member, former club president and long-serving committeeman, Trevor Little.
“It’s a case of third time lucky,” a teary Little explained, referring to being beaten twice previously in the cup with Grey Louie and Imperial Cross over 20 years ago.
But being emotional and deliriously happy is what sport is all about and adds to the excitement of a local cup day.
The Mount Gambier Racing Club also honoured the late Ken Gazzard last Friday by naming its committee room in his honour.
HORSES FOR COURSES
MOUNT Gambier cup day was a classic example of horses for courses, with local stables winning six of the eight races.
Leading the way was Peter Hardacre with three winners and two of those were runs of the day.
His maiden winner The Big Kahuna is destined for bigger things after being posted three wide all the way in the 1800-metre maiden.
Super impressive was stablemate Spin The Reward who thrashed his rivals in the Volcano handicap, and his time of 1.10.41 was only 0.3 of a second outside the track record.
A coming winner from Friday is Disco Tilmorn on her fast finishing second to Chill With Teejay in the 1200-metre BM 58 handicap.
The atmosphere always goes through the roof when a Richard Wilson trained galloper wins, as was the case after Eagles Forever made it successive victories in the 1550-metre BM 58 handicap.
To top off the day for the locals, Our Ellie Rose ($5-$8) won the final race for Bob and Kane Post.
DREAM CAME TRUE UNEXPECTEDLY
WHEN you are involved with a $31 chance in any race, you are hopeful rather than expecting a victory.
That was the scenario going into last Friday’s $54,750 Mount Gambier gallop’s gold cup for the connections of the locally trained Clever Man.
On paper, his lead-up form was good, with two recent seconds (at Mount Gambier and Bordertown) but that was in restricted grade and the five-year-old gelding was taking on open company for the first time in the cup.
Dreams do come true as we all saw when Clever Man, perfectly ridden by Paul Gatt, speared between runners near the dog leg to take out the feature race in near record time to the absolute delight – and shock – of his many owners.
It gave veteran trainer Trevor White his first home town cup and it was the pinnacle of his long career.
What’s more, Clever Man is the only horse in his stable at present and White had to go back nearly 50 years to remember his next best efforts.
“I won some nice races with Lucky Blaze back in the 1970’s including a win in Adelaide,” White recalled.
“It’s a great thrill to win your home town cup, especially when you don’t expect it but I knew he would run to the best of his ability.
“We paid $20,000 for him from NSW and he repaid us during his first preparation last year.
“The original plan was to jump Clever Man and I will keep schooling him, but for now we are all poking along having a bit of fun with him.”
Plans are now for Clever Man to contest a BM 72 handicap here at Mount Gambier on April 27 over the cup distance of 2050 metres before a possible tilt at the Casterton cup in mid May.
PATIENCE REWARDED WITH CLASSIC DRIVE
WINNING a Mount Gambier pacing gold cup requires at least two strong attributes.
You need a pacer that can run a strong 2590 metres as that distance is rarely run these days at the Greenwald Paceway.
Secondly, it certainly helps to have a driver who can show patience in the long distance race.
After the prelude a fortnight ago and with the scratching on cup day of the probable favourite Don’t Need An Excuse, it looked as though the prelude winner Royal Speech almost had the cup at his mercy.
The cup field was no stronger than the heat, yet Royal Speech was at very backable odds ($$1.95-$2.40 fav.) after the money arrived for Sea Lover ($5.50-$2.70).
Driver Jayson Finnis certainly did his bit to win his first home town cup by not panicking with Royal Speech when the initial 500 metres of the race resembled more of a sprint race with four pacers looking for the early supremacy.
In what was a masterly drive, Finnis angled Royal Speech in behind the speedsters and did not make his final charge until the 400 metre mark.
From then on the race was as good as over with trainer Barry Finnis chalking up his second local victory since Paris To Berlin saluted in 2014, as Royal Speech comfortably beat Terror The Christian by five metres in track record time.
In his 13 years of driving, Finnis has achieved plenty with a handful of local driver’s premierships and a smorgasbord of winners (including feature races) at metropolitan level.
“I’ve finally won one (gold cup) and I was so happy as the race has a bit of history for our family, with my grandfather (Doug Finnis) having trained and driven cup winners nearly 40 years ago,” Finnis stated.
“Dad (Barry) drove a cup winner (Carbon Gold) and has now trained two cup winners, and it was another cup success for owners/grandparents Peter and Lesley Medhurst.”
The cup victory completed a double for Barry and Jayson Finnis, having won the opening race with True Blue Rose.
By modern day standards, the attendance was good considering that the club lost two other feature races on the night (the Mount Gambier Derby & Mount Gambier trotter’s cup) due to insufficient entries.
STABLING AVAILABLE
THE Victor Harbor harness racing club races only twice a year these days, during the Christmas period and on Easter Sunday.
Local stables have supported the coastal club very well over the years,, and club president Lynton Bishop hopes that will continue on Sunday week ( April 17) for Victor Harbor cup and derby day.
It’s a long haul to Victor Harbor towing a float and stabling is available for trainers wishing to stay overnight (contact Bishop; 0423626322).
Local harness racing continues tonight at the Greenwald Paceway with heats of the Border cup as the feature.
COMING UP
Tonight: Mount Gambier harness racing (first of three races at 7.39pm).
Sunday week, April 17: Penola gallops (family day and Penola cup day).
