The Reg Kay trained Ima Geisha Girl turned last night’s group 2 Lismore Workers’ Club Lismore Cup final into a one act affair.
Beginning brilliantly from box eight, the daughter of Bombastic Shiraz and Elite Oriental crossed the field by the first turn then cleared out for an easy win in 29.91 seconds for the 520 metres course to claim the $40,000 first prize.
Ima Geisha Girl ran 29.81 to win her heat the previous week.
Ryan Ayre’s Bogie Magic ran on strongly into second placing, with the lone New South Wales trained Cup finalist, Young Snozz for Jason Mackay, finishing third. Ron Ball’s Cakes and Pies completed the ‘’First Four.’’
Reg Kay says he was overwhelmed by the reception afforded to himself and Ima Geisha Girl last night.
‘’I know she was the $1.60 favourite but they claimed us like a local,’’ Kay said.
‘’To be honest, it made the freckles stand up on the back of my neck. It was a pretty proud moment because I bred this bitch. To see people cheering and giving me ‘’high fives’’ and wanting to get their picture taken with me and the bitch, it was all great stuff.’’
‘’She’s a lovely style of a bitch, happy, a real tail wagger, I can see why the crowd took to her so readily. And it’s a great atmosphere at Lismore where everybody can get so close to the track to see all the action.’’
Ima Geisha Girl is by Bombastic Shiraz out of 2008 National Futurity winner Elite Oriental.
‘’Elite Oriental is a litter sister to Knocka Norris and his pups are winning everywhere,’’ Kay added.
‘’I would really like to thank Tony Lockett for providing a free service to Collision to the Lismore Cup winner last night. I’ve got a litter aged eleven months by Collision out of Elite Oriental and some of them look really special. I reckon I might use the service I won last night from Tony for a repeat mating with Elite Oriental.’’
As was the case with Kay’s recent Gold Coast Cup winner Don’t Knocka Him, he will shortly be sending Ima Geisha Girl to Jason Thompson in Victoria to be prepared for races including the Sandown Shootout and the Melbourne Cup. But exactly when the bitch goes to Thompson is uncertain.
‘’Some people say last night’s Lismore Cup win means she doesn’t have to contest a Melbourne Cup Prelude in order to be eligible for the Melbourne Cup. But others are saying that’s not necessarily the case. Jason is making enquiries at Sandown today,’’ Kay explained.
Conditions of the Melbourne Cup state that ballot exemptions apply to winners of group one events and of country cups in Victoria, but not country Cups or group two races in other states.
‘’Whatever way the rules are confirmed won’t be of concern,’’ Kay said.
‘’I intend to start her at Albion Park on Thursday week. She has never raced there but has trialled post to post. A race will be ideal, not only to keep her fitness up, but to gain Albion Park experience with the Brisbane Cup in December in mind.’’
‘’If I can give her two starts at Albion Park, that would be even better. But if she has to go south to contest a Melbourne Cup Prelude in early November, so be it, and we will find out this afternoon concerning that.’’
‘’She has had two race starts at Sandown for a win and a second and has trialled there a few times so doesn’t need the track experience. But if she has to contest a Melbourne Cup Prelude, that’s fine with me.’’
Also a Lismore last night, Michael Patterson’s superstar He Knows Uno (pictured winning at Albion Park) ran track record time of 42.49 winning the Stayers Stake over 720 metres.
2006 Queensland greyhound of the year, Paul Felgate’s Miss Brook, held the record at 42.63 seconds.
Patterson will pursue feature staying races at the Melbourne spring carnival over the next few weeks with the brilliant son of Primo Uno.
The Bold Trease Carnival Cup over 715 metres at Sandown on November 15 and 22 is a group one event of $100,000 to the winner.
Story by Paul Dolan, photo by Corey Pearce.
