Nicolson Bale wins 2023 Cannonball Sprint at Geelong
Nicolson Bale saluted in the Cannonball Sprint final at Geelong on Friday night as part of a winning double for trainer Bec Gibbons.
Nicolson Bale was sent to the boxes in the 400m final as a +480 chance on greyhound betting apps.
Jumping from the white box, he jumped out to strike the front and kick away to dictate terms.
He beat the Gary Peach-trained winner of last year's Cannonball Sprint, Action Girl, by 6.23 lengths in 22.16.
Peach also trained chaser Mr. Beets, who finished third.
2023 Cannonball Sprint – Nicolson Bale (22.16) T: Bec Gibbons
Co-trainer Danny Gibbons said the team was impressed with the performance once again.
“When ‘Nico' jumped as well as he did there wasn't a dog in that race that was going to catch him,” he said.
“He is usually a little slower early and works his way into it.
“If we could get him to jump like that every week, we would be laughing.”
Nicolson Bale has 25 wins and 29 placings from 68 career starts and has banked $107,555 for winning connections.
In the race prior, kennelmate Quinlan Bale saluted in a 400m Free For All race as the +120 favourite.
At box rise, he jumped from box seven to sit at the back of the field before swinging wide and motoring home to win.
He beat home kennelmate Zella Bale by 0.87 lengths in a time of 22.53.
Geelong Free For All 400m Oct. 27, 2023 – Quinlan Bale (22.53) T: Bec Gibbons
Quinlan Bale has 34 wins and 28 placings from 81 career starts and has banked $240,260 in prizemoney, with Gibbons saying he continues to be a great performer.
“Quinlan is just so handy,” he said.
“You can put him in 390m up to 500m and his always going to be competitive.
“He just lacks that tiny bit of strength over 500m.
“Both (Nicolson Bale & Quinlan Bale) are just really consistent dogs – they just keep winning.”
Consistency and winning is in their blood, with both being from a 2020 litter of seven by Feral Franky out of Ethla Allen and that also produced five-time Group race winning litter sister Kelsey Bale.
Recently retired, Kelsey Bale accumulated $483,195 in prize money across a career of 27 wins and 29 placings from 78 starts.