Mobile Legend Snares Group 2 Warragul Cup

TWIN brothers Daryl and Colin Brennan enjoyed a night to remember when Mobile Legend stormed to victory in the Warragul Cup.

The fastest qualifier for the $74,000 final, Mobile Legend opened equal favourite but was easy in betting despite being drawn favourably in box 3. The punters came for the red runner Landyn Bale and the pair stepped beautifully to put a length on the field within the first few strides.

Landyn Bale took advantage of the inside draw to push through and lead but Mobile Legend quickly drew level approaching the first turn before sweeping to the lead as the field swung for home.

From there he was never challenged, powering to the line by a comfortable 2½ lengths in a race record 25.32. The time was some two lengths faster than his qualifying time set a week earlier and just two lengths off Shima Shine's track record.

Titan Blazer, which finished seventh in the 2021 Warragul Cup, finished strongly to run second – his third placing at group level – while Money Owes pipped Landyn Bale for third a further length away.

LEGEN…wait for it…DARY!

MOBILE LEGEND produced a sustained burst of speed to claim the Group 2 #WarragulCup Final.

MOBILE LEGEND was two lengths off the 460-metre track record in the second event in the Gippsland Festival of Racing.#GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/gaH94gbkaG

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) January 13, 2023

In winning the race won by his sire, Aston Dee Bee, in 2018, Mobile Legend secured the 15^th victory of his 34 start career and the eighth in the fastest time of the night (including his last four wins). The $47,000 winners cheque took his career prize money to just shy of $120,000.

Earlier in the night, Paua Of Buddy landed a popular win in an enthralling Cup Night Match Race, defeating Quinlan Bale by 2½ lengths.

Gaining a start following Wow She's Fast scratching, Paua Of Buddy won the jump but was beaten for early speed and trailed the Warragul Cup reserve by a length and half at the first turn. Denied a rails run, Paua Of Buddy switched to the outside and after balancing up, powered to the line to claim the $10,000 prize for local trainer Steve White.

Beaten into second in the night's first two features, trainer Daniel Gibbons finally broke through in the 680m special event with the consistent Arianne Bale defeated Aston Velvet by a neck. The son of Feral Franky has now started 21 times in races of 650m, missing a place just five times.

The Warragul Cup is the second leg of the Gippsland Carnival. The third and final leg, the Traralgon Cup, will be run on Australia Day with the heats to be run on Friday 20^th January.