There certainly wasn’t anything rusty about Must Be Rusty’s gutsy victory in the $6,250 Dunedin Cup at Forbury Park on Tuesday afternoon. As the saying goes ‘out in front – out of trouble’. That was exactly how the John-McInerney-trained greyhound won his biggest career race.
Pictured: Must Be Rusty following his Otago Cup win with handler Arlica Lange and owner Mark Thompson (left)
Must Be Rusty went in the Otago club’s flagship 545m race being the most loosely assessed greyhound in the field, being C3 graded. He was also tossed a tough draw (trap six) to exit from. That certainly didn’t faze this Mark Thompson and John McInerney co-owned son of Cosmic Chief and Boostin’ whatsoever, who actually went into the final holding the quickest winning 545m field time (32.53s). They also combined to win earlier with Sergess in the C3/4 310m sprint.
Must Be Rusty bounced straight into the race lead which proved to be the winning tactic. All other seven runners copped various degrees of jostling and checks, which is best left for readers to check out in the detailed stipes report into the race.
Must Be Rusty defied the $28.80 outsized tote odds he jumped at when delivering his freewheeling 32.41s (personal best) feature race win, scoring by a comfortable two-length margin.
Recovering the best from an impeded racing passage was the Gary-Cleeve-prepared Sarcasm who provided his trainer with his another Dunedin Cup second placing after Know Hassle occupied that placing in last year’s edition (he finished fifth on Tuesday).
There was a half length margin separating the minor place getters as it was Shreddin’ who finished solidly to claim his third placing for Dave and Jean Fahey, while there was a further 3.25 lengths back to the hot Ray-Adcock-prepared race favourite Tom Tee.
It was a hugely successful afternoon for team McInerney has they completed the day’s racing activities at Forbury Park with nine winners. McInerney wound up with twelve winners at the venue on Tuesday with another three successes at the Addington Raceway, taking his current season’s tally up to 446 winners.
Tuesday was all about Must Be Rusty, whose win was the eleventh of his career. He has placed on a further eight occasions, with his 37 career races now yielding his owners $22,601 in stake earnings.
The Dunedin Cup podium with Must Be Rusty being flanked by runner up Sarcasm and third placed Shreddin’; Must Be Rusty following an earlier Addington win, handled by Johnathon McInerney with his sons Blake (left), while Isaac is being held by Gail McInerney
Pawnote: Speedy recovery wishes goes out to Kim Robbie who was involved vehicle accident while on her way to photograph Tuesday’s Otago meeting. Kim was admitted to Balcutha hospital, then transferred to Invercargill hospital from where dad Dave advised she was released late Tuesday evening.
