It was a ‘bitter-sweet symphony’ for one of Victoria’s premier young trainers, Daniel Gibbons, in last night’s six heats of the Group 3 Gawler Gold Cup (531m).
Gibbons journeyed to the SA provincial track (around 40km north of Adelaide) with an aspiring quartet – Cashton Bale ($4.80), McKeon Bale ($1.45F), Kelsey Bale ($1.25F) and Winnington Bale ($8.00).
But only Kelsey Bale – winner of Heat 3 – progressed to Sunday’s $25,000 to-the-winner final, with Winnington Bale – second in Heat 4 – the first reserve.
Cashton Bale finished sixth in Heat 1, while McKeon Bale – a litter sister of Kelsey Bale – failed to finish in Heat 2.
Kelsey Bale (Box 8) – named after Australia’s world champion javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Barber – staged a phenomenal last-to-first performance. She ‘speared’ her way through – and then around – the field to score careering away by four lengths and clocked a stunning 30.38sec.
Her winning time was only 0.16 (around 3L) off the 30.22sec track record, set by SA speedster Victa Grosso – 30.22sec on September 2.
Kelsey Bale (June ’20 Feral Franky x Ethla Allen) – which notched her 12th win, including her past three, from 39 starts – has drawn Box 3 in the final. She has one win and one second from three starts exiting the ‘white’ alley.
She will be contesting her fourth ‘black type’ event, having finished third in both this year’s G1 Maturity Classic (winner Wow She’s Fast) and G3 Warragul St Leger (winner Mr. Audacious), and fourth (winner Vayda Bale) in the G3 Wagga Cup.
Kelsey Bale was also a Million Dollar Chase semi-finalist.
Meanwhile, the only other Victorian in the Gawler Gold Cup series, Hill Top Jack ($2.60F) – trained by David Geall – finished fifth in Heat 6.
Box draw for Sunday nights Group 3 Gawler Gold Cup. pic.twitter.com/BiIRFngpTQ
— SA Greyhound Tips (@TheDogsSA) October 17, 2022
