This year’s $7500 SA Country Cup final, to be run over 530 metres at Angle Park on Adelaide Cup night on Friday, October 6, has undergone a couple of changes which will apply to greyhounds contesting the Mount Gambier heats on Sunday, September 24 over 512 metres.
The event is open to all SA greyhounds that are not above Grade 5 at Angle Park (APK City A meeting only) over 530 metres at the time of nominations.
However, this condition does not apply to Mount Gambier representatives.
Also, the Mount Gambier Club is allowed to include non-South Australian trainers under strict conditions.
Interstate trainers must have had starters at 10 Mount Gambier meetings in the previous 12 months.
And the interstate trainer must have trained the greyhound nominated for the previous two months.
Greyhounds must have started on at least two occasions in the past 12 months at the track they are attempting to represent.
Lead-up heats may consist of up to eight greyhounds however the final on Adelaide Cup night will be a G-SIX final.
Heats will be run at Gawler (531 m) on Friday, September 22; Mount Gambier (512 m) on Sunday, September 24 and Murray Bridge (530 m) on Sunday, September 24.
Once a greyhound has qualified for the SA Country Cup final the greyhound will be ineligible for the Adelaide Cup series or any other race on this Cup final night.
The SA Country Cup final prize money breakdown will be $5000, $1250, $650 and unplaced $200.
Since the SA Country Cup was reintroduced in 2013, Mount Gambier club representatives have been successful on three occasions – Gawler 2013 Moorak Hope (Tracie Price), Strathalbyn 2016 Berry Bling (Nicole Stanley), and Angle Park 2021 He’s All Purpose (Tim Richards).
Last year’s representatives were the David Peckham trained pair of Midnight Blast and Lochinvar Cahill who finished fourth and sixth respectively in the event won by Enthusiastic.
Busy day for the Byrne boys It was a busy day last Thursday for Koroit greyhound educator-trainer Peter Byrne and his 15-year-old son Talor who had eight runners engaged at Mount Gambier’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway.
And at the completion of the 12-race program they’d landed two winners – Saint Shell and Majestic Jewel – both greyhounds trained in the name of the boys’ wife and mother, Narelle.
Bred and reared by Peter Byrne, Saint Shell is by Tommy Shelby – a winner of 31 races and a million dollars in prize money – out of Victorian city winner Mepunga Prue.
Lining up from box two in the Hyland Fox Maiden Stake (400 metres), the brindle bitch had no trouble in bringing up her first win at start number three when leading all the way for a 4¾ length win over Mt. View Barkley in 24.03 seconds.
Majestic Jewel won her second race for the year when leading all the way in the final race, the Ary Sports Bar & Bistro TG1-4W Stake (400 m), for a 4 length win over Yadillah Son in 23.46 seconds.
“I picked her up after she had won a maiden back in late 2021,” Byrne said.
“A few months later, she was sent to Melbourne.
But when blowing a certain win at Sandown Park after losing concentration she soon found her way back to Koroit – and that’s where she’s been ever since.
“Actually, she’s one of those ‘back me next week’ dogs. She often tends to appear unlucky in her races and more often than not leaves you with the feeling that next week will be the week. Generally it’s not.”
” There was no time to be hanging around Tara Raceway after the double. The team of eight was quickly loaded and Peter and Talor – an outstanding junior footballer – were back on the road and heading for footy training.
And, later that night, Byrne’s top stayer Moraine Suzie was contesting the Victorian National Distance Final over 730 metres at The Meadows.
Last for much of the journey, Moraine Suzie stormed home to finish second to Zoha Bale, beaten less than four lengths.
And in doing so, the daughter of My Redeemer and Miss Bo Wicked collected $3335 and took her prize money earnings to $274,160.
