Laurels Winner Bound For Queensland Riches

STAR chaser Kelsey Bale is heading to Queensland for a shot at the Bogie Leigh Futurity after her win in Thursday's Group 2 Laurels Classic at Sandown.

The daughter of Feral Franky took her earnings to just shy of $180,000 when storming home to score a superb win in Victoria's time-honoured classic bitches' race.

"She's a wonderful bitch," winning trainer Daniel Gibbons said. "She's just such a great chaser."

? G2 Laurels Classic Final – Sandown – 515m

?Kelsey Bale – Daniel Gibbons – 29.34
?Baby Jaycee – Robert Douglas
?Jackpot Joan – Glenn Dainton

? Feral Franky at Stud x Ethla Allen

?? Congrats to connections! pic.twitter.com/lVooRyHJXX

— Dimity Maher (@DimityMaher) December 15, 2022

The win was Kelsey Bale's second black-type success in less than two months after she toppled last week's Silver Chief winner and The Phoenix hopeful Amron Boy in the Group 3 Silver Bullet at The Meadows.

Gibbons said the 2023 racing calendar is chock full of future options for Kelsey Bale in the months ahead but the first target on her agenda is the last age-restricted race she will be eligible for.

This year Racing Queensland pushed back the race date of the $50,000-to-the-winner Bogie Leigh Futurity to fall into the newly created 2022/23 Golden Greys Summer Carnival.

The heats will be run at Albion Park on December 29 before the final is held on January 5.

An absolute powerhouse!

Kelsey Bale is the Laurels champion for 2022 ?

Congratulations to the Gibbons family & all connections pic.twitter.com/lfgRvM2Ka0

— Sandown Greyhounds (@sandowndogs) December 15, 2022

"She makes the eligibility date by a couple of weeks," Gibbons said.

“She was up there earlier this year for the Flying Amy, so she's seen the track which is a plus."

Gibbons said Yahiro Bale will join her kennelmate on the trip to Brisbane for the Bogie Leigh Futurity.

Another daughter of Feral Franky, Yahiro Bale contests a heat of the Whiskey Riot Classic at The Meadows on Saturday.

The SA Oaks winner is expected to start the favourite on Saturday jumping from Box 1.