WARRNAMBOOL greyhound owner Noel Mugavin is celebrating a breakthrough group 1 victory with top chaser Born Ali.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The three-year-old bitch delivered as favourite to claim the $80,000-to-win Galaxy over 715 metres at Cannington, Perth, on Saturday night.
Born Ali, trained by Robert Britton at Lara, defeated Dyna Willow by a neck. The winning time was 42.05 seconds.
Gold Affair Two and Infinite Wish were the next two home as Victorian dogs took the first four places in the feature.
Speaking from Perth yesterday morning, Mugavin said the victory was “very satisfying, especially when you bred her yourself”.
“It was a big thrill. But it gives me a bigger thrill to think of the enjoyment her winning has given members of the family and friends,” he said.
Mugavin said the maternal bloodlines of Born Ali, by Velocette out of Born Princess, featured in dogs bred by the Mugavin family for years.
“She started off as a sprinter. She’s had 69 starts and won maybe $230,000 in stakemoney,” he said.
“She ran in a couple of group finals over the short distance and 20 starts ago the trainer put her up in distance.
“Out of the last 19 starts she’s won 10 or 11 of them over distance. There are some wonderful sprinting dogs around. It’s hard to get a good stayer.
“We are lucky she is able to run the distance. She can be a frontrunner, she can go out and lead, but she can come from behind.”
Born Ali won her Galaxy heat at the track the previous week and started a $2.20 favourite out of box one for the final.
She jumped poorly but was able to chase down Gold Affair Two and hold off Dyna Willow. The win took her record to 18-16-6 from 69 starts.
“I thought she would be strong enough to get past the leader and I knew Dyna Willow would be coming and she did,” Mugavin said.
“It was very thrilling in the straight.” Mugavin said Born Ali would contest the invitation-only $75,000-to-win Zoom Top over 725 metres at The Meadows on Saturday night.
The bitch is one of three Britton-trained dogs in the field. They are up against defending champion Destini Fireball, which won in 42.58 seconds last year.
“Robbie Britton has always said to me enjoy, what is happening. If they’re in group races, enjoy the fact they’re in group races,” Mugavin said.