It was a ‘bitter-sweet symphony’ for one of Victoria’s premier young trainers, Daniel Gibbons, in last night’s six heats of the Group 3 Gawler Gold Cup (531m).
Gibbons journeyed to the SA provincial track (around 40km north of Adelaide) with an aspiring quartet – Cashton Bale ($4.80), McKeon Bale ($1.45F), Kelsey Bale ($1.25F) and Winnington Bale ($8.00).
But only Kelsey Bale – winner of Heat 3 – progressed to Sunday’s $25,000 to-the-winner final, with Winnington Bale – second in Heat 4 – the first reserve.
Cashton Bale finished sixth in Heat 1, while McKeon Bale – a litter sister of Kelsey Bale – failed to finish in Heat 2.
Kelsey Bale (Box 8) – named after Australia’s world champion javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Barber – staged a phenomenal last-to-first performance. She ‘speared’ her way through – and then around – the field to score careering away by four lengths and clocked a stunning 30.38sec.