Elite Machine, First Picked Land Perth Group 1s

JAMIE Marsh reckons if his dogs could make another 18 Group 1 finals he would be a different man.

“I reckon I lost two kilos in the week during the lead-up to the final,” he said.

That “final” was Jamie's first Group 1 victory, Elite Machine's all-the-way victory in the Perth Cup (530m)  by six and a half lengths over luckless Electrified with Mick Flash two and a quarter away in third.

It was the first Group 1 victory for owner Dan Williams as well.

“I can tell you one thing,” said Jamie. “It was a pretty easy morning doing the dogs today.”

In a race full of first-turn trouble, Elite Machine held his ground off the rails and drove through to lead into the back straight. By then the Cup was safely in his keeping he had such a big lead.

“Yes, we had a fair bit of luck,” said Jamie. “But, that's racing.

ELITE MACHINE for trainer Jamie Marsh takes the honours in this year's Sky Racing Perth Cup (G1) Final pic.twitter.com/drDF0mJZ95

— Greyhounds WA (@greyhounds_wa) March 18, 2023

“He chased super.”

Jamie, 37, admitted by the time he and his family arrived home, fed the dogs, had a beer and watched the replays, they were exhausted.

“I always thought if I won a Group 1 I'd be at the casino celebrating all night and all morning,” he said.

“That was never going to happen.

“We will probably organise a celebration and I'll have a steak sandwich and a beer.”

He and Dan Williams have accepted an invitation into the rich, upcoming The Sandgroper and the pair have already agreed Elite Machine (Aussie Infrared-Pat's Lass) will skip the G1 Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park and concentrate on WA's latest super race.

“I don't think Wentworth Park would be his track anyway,” said Jamie.

Dan arrived late at Cannington to see his Cup hope.

“Dan really enjoyed the victory, as we all did,” said Jamie.

“He's gets pretty nervous when he has a dog racing. Their welfare is his number one priority.

“He loves his dogs and he gets pretty nervous when they go around.”

Elite Machine will have a week off and then be readied for The Sandgroper with a couple of lead-up runs at Cannington.

ROBBIE Britton flew into Perth yesterday for a family get together but decided not to head to Cannington on Saturday night despite having First Picked in the final of the Group 1 WA Galaxy (715m).

“I watched her on TV and really gave her a great cheer from the home turn on,” admitted Robbie.

First Picked (Benali-Erelda Bale) scored by three-quarters of a length over Speed Freak with a nose to Couch Surfer in third.

Chris Halse and Robbie's sister Linda prepared the winner and third placed.

But it was a Robbie Britton/Noel Mugavin combination that was to the fore.

Robbie trained the Mugavin bred and owned Born Ali to win the 2014 WA Galaxy.

They then combined to win two G3 Perth Cup Consolations with Born Ali's son Benali.

Robbie trained champion Fanta Bale but also in his kennel was her litter sister Erelda Bale a city winner he decided to breed with.

After handy litters by Cosmic Rumble and Fernando Bale, Robbie put her to Benali and got a goldmine litter.

First Picked had already won the G3 Topcat Video Cup and was a finalist in the G1 Topgun Stayers and G2 Summer Distance Plate.

Littermate Cash It In has been a finalist in the G2 Laurels, Quick Smart was a finalist in the G3 Perth Cup Consolation, and Wheel And Go was 3rd in the G1 Hume Cup and a finalist in the G3 Dillon Memorial.

“It was a great surprise,” said Robbie of First Picked's G1 victory.

“I thought she would run a good race, but only from the home turn on did I think she could win.”

Robbie had sent her to WA to Chris and Linda with the idea of picking up plenty of prizemoney and staying there until she was ready to be bred with.

“Now I will talk to Linda and Chris about bringing both First Picked and Couch Surfer back to run in The 175 worth $500,000 at The Gardens in about six weeks time,” he said.

“But, First Picked will come back to WA after that.

“She and Cash It In are the most magnificent looking bitches and should make great broodbitches.”

Robbie was in huge praise of the Born Ali family.

“It is a very, very potent damline and they all get 500 metres to race in the city,” he said.

Erelda Bale has since whelped a repeat mating to Benali, one month old three bitches and a dog.