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  • Saturday, 19 Jun, 2021,
  • by Gerard Guthrie

Diamond dozen

In a spectacular night of racing, one of the standout performances in Friday’s Pink Diamond extravaganza at Bendigo came from boom prospect Koblenz, which claimed his ninth straight victory with a near-record performance in the Rookie Sprinter Final (500m).

It was a special moment for the Geall family, with Koblenz trained by David Geall, bred by his wife Rose and raced by the Gealls Gals syndicate, including Rose and Marie Geall, who’s married to David’s brother Jeff.

Showcasing the best in greyhound breeding, the superbly bred son of Fernando Bale and Geall’s former star Up Hill Jill started $2.60 favourite from box one and after flying out he was never in danger of defeat, downing Aston Fastnet in 27.67sec.

The scorching run was only .15sec outside Midnight Ride’s track record and improved his record to 14 from 19.

“He’d done it eight in a row but the worry is that you’re getting closer to getting beaten obviously, so that’s the worry, but he just came out running,” said David Geall.

“He’s a bit like his mum and dad, isn’t he?

“It’s great for my brother and his wife. They did the right thing buying a half-share in him.”

Away from the three Champion finals, the night started according to script with favourites winning the first two finals.

Diamond Ability (Raw Ability x Anastasia) won the Maiden Short Course Final (425m) for leading trainer Anthony Azzopardi and owner/breeder Kylee Osborne, Azzopardi’s partner, in 23.98sec.

Angela Langton’s odds-on favourite Weblec Raider (Kinloch Brae x Weblec Rose), bred by Langton and her mother Sue Smith in their successful Champagne syndicate, was a commanding 28.11sec winner of the Maiden Sprinter Final (500m).

There was a sign of things to come for the Geall family with the upset victory of Time For Peace (My Redeemer x Miss Monteya) in the Rookie Short Course Final (425m).

Time For Peace, owned and trained by Tina Womann and bred by Tina’s sister Rose Geall, started at $9.30 but finished strongly to defeat Masked Avenger and $1.60 favourite Rebellious in 23.81sec.

“He’s just awesome this dog. We were really hoping he would draw the pink in the final and it came up and he just does everything. He’s just a perfect dog,” said a delighted Womann.

“David (Geall) is my brother-in-law and his lovely wife (Rose) is my sister so I got him as a puppy. I’m glad I’m family so I can have a good go at them!”

Jeff Britton followed the lead of partner Angela Langton in getting an odds-on favourite home when Mepunga Ruby (Fernando Bale x Mepunga Rosie), raced by legendary breeder Barry Smith, led all-the-way in the Rookie Distance Final at $1.60, holding Major Sacrifice at bay in 37.72sec.

The drinks were on Sweet Petite (Fabregas x Gold Vein), trained by Daryl Holmes, bred by Lesley Holmes and raced by the Holmes family’s Shiraz syndicate, after she started $2.30 favourite in the Princess Final (500m) and dug deep to run down Taylor’s Jewel in 28.38sec.

At his 54th start Ides Of Jebrynah (Cosmic Rumble x Jebrynah Glory) gave owner/trainer/breeder Bryan Sykes a great thrill with a barnstorming victory in the Veterans Final (425m), clocking 24.07sec to claim his 22nd career victory.

After winning the Champion Short Course Final with Aussie Secret, Jason Thompson may have unveiled a star of the future when Collinda Patty (Zambora Brockie x She’s A Collinda) careered away with the Challenger Sprinter Final (500m).

Owned and bred by Stephanie Tyler, Collinda Patty won by 10 lengths, remarkably equalling the 27.74sec clocked by Shima Shine in the Champion Sprinter Final at just her sixth start.

“Fantastic. That’s what this industry needs, a young family like they are, that’s passionate about their dogs and they’ve got a good history within the industry through Steph’s family,” said Thompson.

The final feature, the Challenger Short Course Final (425m) went the way of the well-bred Aston Lights (KC And All x Secret Spell), trained by Tanya Sincock, raced by Ray Borda and bred by Michelle Westerveld, in 23.95sec.

 

Check out every Pink Diamond winner along with their trainer and breeder below.

Race 1 – $33,405 MAIDEN SHORT COURSE FINAL (425m)
Prize money: $20,000 (1st); $5,700 (2nd); $3,350 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $3,000 (1st); $855 (2nd); $500 (3rd)

? DIAMOND ABILITY (Anthony Azzopardi / Kylee Osborne)
? McINERNEY (Tim Britton / Noel Mugavin)
? MEPUNGA GRACE (Jeff Britton / Barry Smith)
? 23.98sec
? https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/1

Race 2 – $33,405 MAIDEN SPRINTER FINAL (500m)
Prize money: $20,000 (1st); $5,700 (2nd); $3,350 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $3,000 (1st); $855 (2nd); $500 (3rd)

? WEBLEC RAIDER (Angela Langton / Champagne Syn)
? TRENDING ROOKIE (Andrea Dailly / Dailly Greyhound Farms Syn)
? MYSTIFY KICK (Brett Mackie / Robert Mowat)
? 28.11sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/2

Race 3 – $40,825 ROOKIE SHORT COURSE FINAL (425m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
Conditions: Born on or after 1 January, 2019

? TIME FOR PEACE (Tina Womann / Rose Geall)
? MASKED AVENGER (Joe Borg / Rod Oppenhuis)
? REBELLIOUS (Jason Thompson / D & M Puleio Syn)
? 23.81sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/3

Race 4 – $40,825 ROOKIE DISTANCE FINAL (660m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
Conditions: Born on or after 1 January, 2019

? MEPUNGA RUBY (Jeff Britton / Barry Smith)
? MAJOR SACRIFICE (Jason Thompson / D & M Puleio Syn)
? CELL BLOCK TANGO (Shane Fisher / Shane Fisher)
? 37.72sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/4

Race 5 – $120,750 CHAMPION SHORT COURSE FINAL (425m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)  
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
Conditions: Open class (Maidens ineligible)

? AUSSIE SECRET (Jason Thompson / Robert Bean)
? DR. KNUCKLES (William McMahon / William McMahon)
? FERDINAND BOY (David Geall / Rose Geall)
? 23.77sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/5

Race 6 – $120,750 CHAMPION DISTANCE FINAL (660m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)  
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
Conditions: Open class (Maidens ineligible)

? FIVE STAR (Paul Abela / Dean Baker)
? MY FATHER’S SON (Michael Chilcott / Greysynd Whispers Syn)
? MEPUNGA WARRIOR (Jeff Britton / Barry Smith)
? 37.58sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/6

Race 7 – $40,825 ROOKIE SPRINTER FINAL (500m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
Conditions: Born on or after 1 January, 2019

? KOBLENZ (David Geall / Rose Geall)
? ASTON FASTNET (Jason Thompson / Ray Borda)
? EARN THE ANSWERS (Lyn Smith / Lyn Smith)
? 27.67sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/7

Race 8 – $120,750 CHAMPION SPRINTER FINAL (500m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)  
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
Conditions: Open class (Maidens ineligible)

? SHIMA SHINE (Andrea Dailly / Davrob Syn)
? ASTON RUPEE (Glenn Rounds / Ray Borda)
? CATCH THE THIEF (Jason Thompson / Des Dooley)
? 27.74sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/8

Race 9 – $20,410 PRINCESS (500m)
Prize money: $12,500 (1st); $3,500 (2nd); $1,750 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $1,875 (1st); $525 (2nd); $260 (3rd)
Conditions: Female greyhounds only

? SWEET PETIT (Daryl Holmes / Lesley Holmes)
? TAYLOR’S JEWEL (Kerry Houlahan / Cherie Ivers)
? MANIA (Natalie Presutto / See The Dream Syn)
? 28.38sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/9

Race 10 – $20,410 VETERAN (425m)
Prize money: $12,500 (1st); $3,500 (2nd); $1,750 (3rd)       
Breeder bonus: $1,875 (1st); $525 (2nd); $260 (3rd)
Conditions: Four years +

? IDES OF JEBRYNAH (Bryan Sykes / Bryan Sykes)
? LAYBACK CRUISER (Jess Grima / Andrea Gurry)
? KILPATRICK (Benjamin George / Shane Flynn)
? 24.07sec
? https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/10

Race 11 – $12,705 CHALLENGER SPRINTER (500m)
Prize money: $7,750 (1st); $2,200 (2nd); $1,100 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $1,160 (1st); $330 (2nd); $165 (3rd)
Conditions: 275+ Ranking

? COLLINDA PATTY (Jason Thompson / Stephanie Tyler)
? ERNIE PRANG (Ian Cockerell / Bag Of Lollys Syn)
? KING OF ALL (Greg Doyle / Greg Doyle)
? 27.74sec
? https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/11

Race 12 – $12,705 CHALLENGER SHORT COURSE (425m)
Prize money: $7,750 (1st); $2,200 (2nd); $1,100 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $1,160 (1st); $330 (2nd); $165 (3rd)
Conditions: 300+ Ranking

? ASTON LIGHTS (Tanya Sincock / Michelle Westerveld)
? ELLIOTT NESS (Garry Johnson / Rose Geall)
? ASTON RESORT (Graeme Jose / Ray Borda)
? 23.95sec
? https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/12

Gerard GuthrieGerard Guthrie

Gerard Guthrie

One of Australia’s leading greyhound racing journalists since 2000 with the Greyhound Recorder and now with Greyhound Racing Victoria. Part-owner 2013 Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Sheikha. (The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of GRV)

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