‘Team Gibbons’ will be attempting to break a Group final jinx when they chase a G3 double at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Based at Avalon, husband-and-wife Daniel and Rebecca Gibbons have endured a frustrating run in ‘black type’ events but that could all end with June ’20 Feral Franky x Ethla Allen littermates McKeon Bale and Quinlan Bale.
McKeon Bale ($2.30EF) – named after champion swimmer Emma McKeon – qualified for the Ladies Bracelet final (520m) with a strong 30.07sec heat win, while Quinlan Bale ($4.00) also clocked a 30.07sec heat success in booking a Bob Payne Sprint final berth. Both events carry a $25,000 first prize.
McKeon Bale – which was a 29.28sec (Best) Sandown Park winner at her previous start – notched her sixth win from 12 starts, while Quinlan Bale – which was a recent G3 Mount Gambier Cup finalist – registered his fifth win from nine starts.
Quinlan Bale with Daniel Gibbons after a 30.18sec win at The Meadows on April 20.
Both have fared well in the box draws for both finals – McKeon Bale (Box 1) and Quinlan Bale (Box 3). McKeon Bale ($4.00) is on the third line of TAB fixed odds betting while Quinlan Bale ($3.00) is favourite for his final.
‘Team Gibbons’ were represented by their kennel-hand Dallan Klemke in Sydney.
“She is a very good bitch who had box four in her heat, and box one in the final will suit her perfectly,” Klemke told Jeff Collerson from thedogs.com.au.
Pawnote: The Gibbons’ – former pro-wrestlers – also get the chance to put a ‘camel clutch’ on the curse when Jerwood Bale lines up in the G2 Warrnambool Cup on Wednesday night.
WATCH: MCKEON BALE (3) makes a real ‘splash’ at Sandown Park on April 21.
