By Michael Floyd
IRMA Bale kept up her successful record, winning the $58,000 group 2 McKenna Memorial greyhound race at Sandown Park on Thursday night.
Trained by Graeme Bate, Irma Bale started as race favourite from box 3 and saluted to score her second group 2 win in as many months.
It’s A Blur, the sole interstate-trained greyhound in the race, swept down the middle of the track to assume the lead on leaving the home straight.
It’s A Blur gave Irma Bale an inside passage leaving the back straight, and the dynamo powered through the gap, racing to the lead on straightening for home, then racing to a two-length win in a race record of 33.99 seconds.
Irma Bale’s handler Joe Briffa praised the greyhound after the race. “She’s a really good bitch. She went super tonight. Graeme just wanted her to jump and thought that if she did she’d win the race – and that’s what happened.”
Irma Bale jumped only fairly in her heat and the kennel feared a modest start could jeopardise her chances in the final. Despite the concerns, Bate didn’t change her preparations for the race.
“Graeme said she’d break 34seconds tonight,” Briffa said. “Last week she got galloped on at the first turn and still ran 34.12 [seconds]. This week, she got out perfectly and that was the difference.”
Irma Bale comes from the outstanding Bartrim Bale-Amelia Bale litter, which features Sandown 515m track record holder Bekim Bale and Meadows 525m track record holder Heston Bale.
It was the 21st of Irma Bale’s 42-start career (with 10 placings) and the $40,000 first prize took her career earnings to $217,261.
Irma Bale has proven herself to be one of the country’s most versatile greyhounds. She has not only won over each of Sandown Park’s three race distances in excellent time but is also the first greyhound to compete in a group final at each distance at Sandown Park.
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