2014 SA Sprint Championship Review
Monday 20th January 2014
After the extreme heat experienced in South Australia over the last week the SA Sprint Championship Final was run last Friday night at Angle Park. In front of a handy and vocal crowd the best sprinters trained in South Australia competed in the listed classic with SA champion Ernie Bung Arrow again showing his class and picking up another feature event.
The Ken Gill trained superstar started a warm favourite however his competition was one of the strongest seen in recent times and “Ernie” would have to be at his best. As the boxes flew open Ernie Bung Arrow dwelt a little from box 3 and was slightly crowded before he accelerated brilliantly to run to the lead at the winning post on the first occasion. In hot pursuit was the Ben Rawlings trained Bogie Magic who raced across from his wide draw to move to second with Encosta Kahn for Kath Johnstone making full use of the inside box to push through to third. With the remainder of the field finding trouble the placings looked set as they sped down the back straight. Ernie was high balling in front with Bogie Magic trying his best to issue a challenge however turning for home the champ kicked clear and went onto to win by 4 ½ lengths from Bogie Magic who never gave up and Encosta Kahn running a brave race for third considering he suffered concussion in a race fall only two weeks prior. Ernie Bung Arrow’s time for the 515m journey was a brilliant 29.71 and he now looks set to return to Victoria in the care of Kel Greenough with big Interstate races on his agenda and after tonights victory and invitation to the rich Temlee Final on February 15.
The other feature series last Friday night was seven exciting heats of the John Gray with the final to be run this Thursday night at Angle Park. The fastest qualifier for the final was the Kim Johnstone trained Tercel who was exceptional in winning by 7 lengths in a blistering 29.87. Recently transferred into the care of Kim from his previous trainer Karen Bearpark he won his 35th race from 91 starts and will hope to go one better after running second in last years final behind Grainne O’Malley.
It was a credit to all the greyhounds, their trainers, staff and greyhound supporters that we were able to run last Friday night after having to abandon three race meetings during the week due to the heat.
