Kelsey Bale – named after two-time world champion javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Barber – has ‘speared’ her way into Victoria’s #1 sprinter ranking.

Ironically, displaying similar true grit to her Olympic medallist and Commonwealth champion namesake, Kelsey Bale ‘harpooned’ to a sensational heat victory in the Group 2 Sportsbet Geelong Gold Cup (520m) on Friday night.

Kelsey Bale is a ‘clutch thrower’ – always delivering when it matters most. Her steely determination pushes her through the tougher moments, and she has proved time and time again that she is able to deliver at the big events when it comes to the crunch.

Prepared by Daniel Gibbons, Kelsey Bale – last week’s incredible last-to-first winner of the G2 Ballarat Cup – almost staged a repeat performance at Beckley Park.

Jammed up early, Kelsey Bale ($1.70F) looked in more than a spot of bother but with an explosive turn of pace dashed away for a 9.3L romp in 29.86sec – second fastest of the seven heats.

She “threaded a needle through the sky”, as Barber would say, to notch her 20^th win (with 16 wins and seven thirds) from 60 starts.

Now an 11-time Group race finalist, also including victory in last year’s G2 Laurels Classic and G3 Silver Bullet, Kelsey Bale has amassed $299,140 in stakes.

‘Team Gibbons’ had three finalists in last year’s final – Emani Bale (4^th), Unathi Bale (6^th) and Winnington Bale (8^th).

Meanwhile, other Geelong Gold Cup heat highlights were:

• *** Adhana Rico ($6.90) – a younger half-brother of 2020 G1 Melbourne Cup winner Hard Style Rico – was the fastest qualifier in 29.75sec for trainer Anthony Azzopardi, who finished third with Substantial in last year’s final.

• *** Jeff Britton will launch a two-pronged challenge in the final courtesy of heat winners Mepunga Warrior ($3.60) – 29.87sec – and Mepunga Mustang ($6.90) – 30.02sec. Britton took out the 2021 Geelong Gold Cup with Weblec Jet.

*** ‘Team Grenfell’ is chasing back-to-back Geelong Gold Cups after Nelvin Bale ($22.80) snared a heat in 30.18sec. The Grenfells (Correy & Samantha) saluted with Yozo Bale last year. He was also runner-up in 2021 and eighth in 2020. They also finished third with Tiggerlong Tonk in 2020. Orson Allen – the greyhound that put the Grenfells on the map in the sport – finished second in 2018.

*** Storm Stroller ($3.00F) will contest consecutive finals after claiming his heat in 29.97sec. Trained by Paul Bartolo, Storm Stroller finished seventh last year.

*** Amron Dan ($3.80) qualified for the final as the fastest second placegetter (29.89sec). He’s trained by Brooke Ennis, who finished runner-up with Judicial Man in the 2016 Geelong Gold Cup.

*** Crackerjack Bull ($20.30), trained by Jordan Cooper, lowered the boom on “next big thing” Rejuvenate with a 29.91sec success.