David Lewis
CAPRA and Mick’s Kimmy, a couple of greyhounds now in the veteran class, stole the limelight at last Sunday’s Tara Raceway meeting with terrific wins over 512 metres and 732 metres respectively.
An August 2018 whelping, Capra led all the way from box one in the one-off Cadillac Racing grade five final when defeating Worry Less and Johnny Disco in a best of day 29.75 seconds.
The win was the 15th in total for the beautifully bred son of Fernando Bale and Born Ali, herself a winner of 20 races and $254,000 in prize money prior to becoming a prolific producer for Warrnambool breeder Noel Mugavin.
Woolsthorpe owner-trainer Kurt Howard, a 27-year-old cabinet maker, took over Capra in October 2021 after Mugavin had offered him the black dog as a giveaway.
Since then he has won five races at Sandown Park, Warrnambool and now Mount Gambier.
“He had raced only twice in 10 months due to a back leg muscle injury when Noel asked me if I wanted to have a go with him,” Howard said.
“I’ve been pretty happy with his two runs at Mount Gambier, so I’m now giving the Mount Gambier Cup some consideration.”
Capra was the young trainer’s second winner at Tara Raceway.
At the end of January he had been successful with Send It Blue – his first runner at the track.
Mick’s Kimmy, whelped in July 2018, brought up her ninth win at start number 128 when winning the Produce Store Stake.
Her record over 732 metres at Tara Raceway now stands at 23 starts for six wins and 16 minor placings.
Well suited by the small field, Mick’s Kimmy was her usual clear last early but looked to have Fully Fledged and Midnight Bandit covered a fair way out before finishing powerfully for a 2¾ length win in 43.78 seconds.
Owned by Faye Craig and trained at Mortlake by Peter Crawley, Mick’s Kimmy is by Barcia Bale out of Mick’s Angel – also owned by Craig and a winner of 12 races and $85,000 in prize money.
Mick’s Angel was trained at Hopper’s Crossing by Allan Meyer who won the 2018 Mount Gambier Cup Day Distance with her when she defeated Cryer’s Plugger in a time of 43.94 seconds.
Her daughter gave a great sight in last year’s Cup Day Distance when running second to Emani Bale in track record time of 43.10 seconds.
Mick’s Kimmy’s time, when beaten by 1¾ lengths, was 43.22 seconds, still the second-fastest time recorded over 732 metres at Tara Raceway.
All being well, Mick’s Kimmy is now a fair chance of lining up for a second go at the Cup Day Distance on April 2.
Crawley is also keeping his options open with kennel newcomer Johnny Disco in regard to the Mount Gambier Cup.
Small in stature, nine-race winner Johnny Disco, a son of Zambora Brockie and Ultra Blue, made up plenty of ground last Sunday when finishing a 4¾ length third to Capra.
Meanwhile, Mount Gambier owner-trainer Noel Perry’s efforts in breeding a litter by Dyna Double One out of Lektra Rainbow – who he had borrowed from Toolong breeder Phil Lenehan – did not go quite to plan.
It all looked good on paper.
Lektra Rainbow, a daughter of Destini Fireball and Lektra Angie, had won 10 races and $28,000 in stakemoney.
Littermates Lektra Fireball and Lektra Perry had been more than handy.
But with the resultant litter producing only one pup, Perry’s planning for the future had taken a hit.
So, as a result, he headed to Adelaide where he purchased a couple of pups – by Spring Gun and Sennachie.
At last Sunday’s meeting the Lektra Rainbow youngster, now racing as Rough Girl Skye, and the two purchases – named Rough Boy Gus and Rough Boy Devil – were together in the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (305m).
While Rough Boy Gus had already raced on two previous occasions for two thirds, Rough Girl Skye and Rough Boy Devil were having their first starts.
Rough Girl Skye, the outsider of the trio, was only fairly away from box two but quickly railed through to find the front.
Perhaps fittingly, it was the daughter of Lektra Rainbow who held out a fast finishing Rough Boy Gus to win by 1½ lengths in 18.09 seconds.
Former Tara Raceway regular Doug Blake, back for the first time in some years, accompanied his son Aaron who had enjoyed a big year at the Mount Gambier track in 2022 with 10-race winner Adelong.
This time he had her half-brother Yoshi Boy, a son of Kinloch Brae and Bonnie Beauty, engaged in the Progreyhoundtips.com Maiden Stake (400m).
Backing up after a first-up run at Mount Gambier and then Bendigo, the brindle dog found the front turning for home before running away to a 2¾ length win over Sins To Burn in 23.39 seconds for the Kath Boyle-managed Bonnie Girls Syndicate.
