It was 12 months ago on Mount Gambier Cup Day that Mick’s Kimmy finished a 1¾ length second behind Emani Bale who broke Nellie Noodles’ long standing 732 metre track record in the Rocks Tavern Cup Day Distance.
Emani Bale, who was trained at Avalon by Daniel Gibbons – successful in this year’s Carlin & Gazzard Mount Gambier Cup with Titan Blazer – ran 43.10 seconds while Mick’s Kimmy’s time of 43.22 seconds is still the second-fastest recorded at Tara Raceway.
And at the 2018 Mount Gambier Cup Day, Mick’s Angel, the dam of Mick’s Kimmy, was successful in the 732 metre feature for Allan Meyer when defeating Cryer’s Plugger and Bekim Lucy’s in a time of 43.94 seconds.
But this year it was owner Faye Craig, who also raced Mick’s Angel, and Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley’s turn to win the Rocks Tavern Cup Day Distance with Mick’s Kimmy.
A clear last early from box one, the daughter of Barcia Bale slowly made up ground before taking the lead down the back straight the second time and subsequently running out an 8½ length winner over Fully Fledged in 44.03 seconds.
All told, Mick’s Kimmy has now raced on 131 occasions for 11 wins and 46 minor placings with Crawley believing the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s efforts in promoting distance racing had really worked in his dog’s favour.
“She had always struggled over the shorter distances but when the Mount Gambier club re-introduced 732 metre racing it kept her on the track.
“She’s now a rising five-year-old and certainly would have been retired long ago had it not been for Greyhound Racing SA and the local club’s commitment to distance racing.”
Two long-running feature events – the Produce Store Feature Maiden/One Win Stake (512 m) and the Winning Post Supplies Formula 400 Open (400 m) – kicked off Cup Day.
And it was a good start to the day for local trainer Melissa Freitag who was successful in both events with Might Be You and Nitrogen Outlaw.
By Bernardo out of Midnight Hussler, Might Be You recently found his way over to Moorak as a giveaway from Adam Richardson of Bushfield.
Having his second race start – his first for Freitag – Might Be You settled in second spot down the back behind Bourne Nicko before finishing the stronger for a three-quarter length win in 30.21 seconds.
Nitrogen Outlaw brought up his sixth win at Tara Raceway this year when leading all the way and running out a 3¾ length win over Blackpool Dill in a quick 22.82 seconds.
The son of Aston Dee Bee and Fantasy Skye, in Freitag’s kennels since October, is owned by the Lain Beckett-managed Yeah Nah Syndicate who won last year’s Mount Gambier Cup with Departure Gate.
And another long-running feature race – the Tankman 600 – saw Ararat trainer Paul Hammerstein back with Limiting for the 600 metre event.
The last time the pair had been at Tara Raceway was back in December when Limiting ran a 2½ length second behind Giant’s Flash over 600 metres in track record time of 34.58 seconds.
Chasing his first win since the end of November, the son of Over Limit and Until Tuesday settled in second spot behind Maximum Refusal before taking up the running down the back straight and eventually winning by 1¼ lengths in 34.89 seconds.
“The race was run to suit today,” said Hammerstein who purchased the black dog from Rebecca Gibbons in September last year.
“He certainly needs things his own way and does not like to be crowded in his races.”
Meanwhile, GRSA Chairman, Grantley Stevens, thanked the MGGRC for all its hard work and effort that went into organising the Mount Gambier Cup meeting.
He also thanked Carlin & Gazzard for their sponsorship of the cup and other valued sponsors Exchange Printers, the Produce Store, Winning Post Supplies, the Tankman, Rocks Tavern and the Commercial Hotel.
“This is a true country club and it is great to see the community atmosphere here on display today,” he said.
“Your continued support of greyhound racing in the South East certainly makes all the effort worthwhile.”
