Sheer Elation As Gem Claims Upset Cup Win

DAVE and Jean Fahey were strongly favoured to win Monday’s Galway Cup and they did, although not with the stayer that punters expected.

LEADING mentors Dave and Jean Fahey were strongly favoured to provide Monday's Group 2 732m winner and they did, although not with the stayer that most punters expected.

The Faheys accepted with four stayers for the $15,000 The Galway Cup for the Ascot Park staying test.

Gem was the least favoured of the quartet, paying $15.20 on the tote, but no-one told her that as the noted railer pinged away from trap-seven to seize the early race lead.  

A degree of buffeting from the inside drawn stayers enabled Gem to skip clear and she was never seriously challenged, cruising home for an effortless 2 ¾ length win, clocking 43.43.

Another outsider Goldstar Truman kicked on stoutly for his young trainer Riley Evans to claim the runners-up prize while the Fahey prepared warm race favourite Student Loan was the next to greet another half-a-length behind.

It was sheer elation, touched with a degree of emotion for Gem's owner and breeder Mark Lin who was able to celebrate his first ever group race winner. 

Lin has been breeding numerous greyhounds, with the bulk more than handy stayers whelped from his broodbitch Delusionist, from her Lin bred Ambilight, which the Faheys successfully trained.

Upon her retirement Lin mated her with Bekim Bale with Gem being a member of the resulting litter.

And that's where the emotion factor kicked in as Lin advised via text straight after the race – "I'm so happy she did that for her mum…she passed away last week. She did us all proud," sent with a heart emoji. 

"We are rapt for Mark – he has raced greyhounds with us for around 12 years. Mark is always at Addington, willingly helping us out with race and trial handling- he deserved a group race win.

"Gem was nice and fresh, and she produced a strong race. We'll keep her ticking over now," advised Fahey about the winner of 15 races and $59,044 in stakes.

Pepper Chimes Wins Far South Challenge

It was 18 years ago when Oamaru (Otago) trainer John Allen prepared his stayer To The Peg to win the 2002 edition of the prestigious Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar (779m).

On Monday, Allen claimed his second group race title when he produced Pepper Chimes to win an enthralling Far South Challenge paw wrestle during Monday's Ascot Park meeting at Group 2 level. 

Pepper Chimes was last away from the eight-trap, however that did not faze him as he pushed forward around the outer. He stayed wide when turning for home from where he resolutely pressed forward to maintain a strong gallop which saw him claiming his best career win by a three-quarter length margin completing his 457m assignment in 26.03s.

Young Canterbury trainer Riley Evans was to leave the raceway with three group race minor placings – he filled the minors in this event with Goldstar Clover (second) and Goldstar Yankee (third).

It has been a remarkable past seven months for Allen and Pepper Chimes at Ascot Park since the resumption of New Zealand racing following the Covid-19 racing lockdown.

May 30 saw Pepper Chimes secure the first of what turned into nine consecutive Ascot Park penalty free 457m race victories.

Pepper Chimes, who is a member of the Allen bred, owned and trained Fabregas – Helena Allen litter, has now won 16 of his 32 race day outings, netting his owner $38,120 in stake earnings.

** Pics supplied courtesy by Dave Robbie 

 

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