TAKING A CHANCE
Sometimes an opportunity is presented to you and then it is up to you to make a decision.
Trainer Neil Mann was returning a couple of greyhounds to Victoria, and another was being sent to him, when he was asked would be interested in another to make up the pair. Having dealt with the owner previously and after checking out some details, Neil decided to take a chance and accept the offer.
He was rewarded for his judgement when the runner, Mr Rumballs, was able to lead from box 4 for the whole of the 400m journey, going to the line to win by nearly 2 lengths from Sweet Jaz (7), trained by Simon Gesler of Evanston, and Young Blood (8) third for Alan Randall of Christie Downs.
Mr Rumballs is owned by Sarahlyn Bailey, and was having his third start for Neil In SA, after having recorded a win in Canberra from a handful of starts. Describing the black dog as very energetic at the track, Neil said that he is very well behaved in his kennels.
Neil had a great day out, as he was able to follow up the win with another in race 7, a 531m event for Grade 6 greyhounds. Neil’s runner was Glaucus starting from the 3 box, and only got to the front along the rails as they turned into the home straight. Glaucus won by just a neck margin from Marco Lee, trained by Scott Feltus of Lewiston and early leader Dolly Jo was third for Angela Modra of Gawler River. Neil purchased Glaucus from a contact in Victoria, and transferred to his kennels in May this year. After one run, the black dog had a muscle injury and was off the scene for 2 months, but now fully recovered.
Neil and his wife Teresa have a small racing team, and also do some breeding and rearing at their Kalbeeba property. Both are very involved in the industry, particularly at the Virginia track, which Neil reported had just completed a successful season.
Neil wasn’t the only trainer to register a double, as Meningie based Cameron Butcher repeated that feat when Jay’s Ace and Dawning Hope won. Lewiston trainer Ben Rawlings recorded a unique result in the last race when his three runners , Bogie Miracle, Allen Terminator and Gotta Grin filled the trifecta.
The racing at the track continues on Tuesday afternoons and Sunday night, with an extra meeting coming up on Thursday night 12th October.