Cash Is King After Surprise Grafton Cup Call Up

WARWICK based owner Pat Gainey kept getting “the right phone calls” all week long in the lead-up to Sunday night's Group 3 Grafton Cup Final (450m).

Pat and his mate Robert Cooke share in the ownership of the sensational Cash Master.

Last week their chances of winning the Grafton Cup looked forlorn when Cash Master ran fourth in his heat and was made second reserve for the final.

“We knew virtually straight away Steve Keep's dog, the first reserve All Lies Ahead, would not start,” said Pat.

“But on Friday, Cookie rang me and said we'd got a start in the final.

Cash Master – the reserve – has taken out the 2023 Village Green Hotel Grafton Cup for Robert Cooke! ?
He was just too good!

Full Results: https://t.co/KMe75ShLRz#thedogs #graftoncup #greyhoundracing pic.twitter.com/tpn3kUpmfz

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) May 7, 2023

“I was pretty happy about that but when Cookie said we'd got the one box, well our luck had changed.”

Cash Master (Aston Dee Bee-Cashpot) used the rails to perfection leading virtually throughout to score by two and a half lengths over Starline Express with Commands Respect in third.

It took Cash Master's record to 21 starts for 12 wins and four placings and $86,000 in stakes.

And, Gainey admitted after the win he and Cooke had knocked back a $200,000 offer for Cash Master some weeks ago from a leading Sydney trainer.

“There was even a bonus $50,000 if he won a Group 1,” said Pat.

“But, in the end we decided to keep him and we don't regret it.”

Immediate plans are to head back to Albion Park for the QGOLD series of races.

Cash Master won the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters last year.

“The Brisbane Cup is coming up at the end of June and I don't have to remind anyone it is worth $1 million this year,” said Pat.

“Cookie and I were very confident going into the Cup final but were well aware it was a pretty hot field.

“But, he's a pretty hot dog too.”

Cash Master is on his way back after a chest muscle injury put him on the sidelines recently.

“He's not fully fit yet,” said Pat.

Cooke was over the moon with the victory. “The best thing is that is Pat Gainey's first Group victory,” he said.