Suspense's Stunning Track Record Debut

MURRAY Bridge's brand new 300m track record holder Suspense is lucky to even be racing let alone setting a racetrack alight.

The royally bred son of Barcia Bale-Irish Keepsake made his race debut at Murray Bridge on Wednesday and ran 16.27 to eclipse the former mark held by Zulu Zulu at 16.34.

Breeder, owner and trainer Kirin Corby may have been surprised by Suspense's record run but felt a huge weight lift from her with victory.

Suspense, or Spencer as he is known around the Corby kennels, knocked off the tibial crest off his off side leg which necessitated a major operation when the pup was just three months old.

“We had to kennel him for months,” said Kirin.

“But he used to come into the house each night and sit on my lap to watch TV. He quickly became everyone's favourite.

“And, when I was taking dogs like Sennachie from here to Melbourne, he got to come with me. Naturally, he's a pretty good traveler now.”

By the time Spencer was six months, he was back out in the paddock with the two dogs and two bitches Kirin kept from the litter.

Irish Keepsake's first litter, by Dyna Double One, include Group stars Tauwitchere (19 wins, $263,000) and Querencia (8 wins, $42,000).

Kirin knows just how fast Suspense is, especially now he is a track record holder, but she is unsure just how he will handle circle racing as a result of the injury.

“He's had one circle slip and went pretty fast, but he has not been out of the boxes on the circle,” she said.

While the injury to Suspense is just a memory for the Corby kennel, the dog's litter brother, kennel name Elliott, has not been so lucky.

“He was 12 months old and was attacked by a kangaroo who jumped the five foot fence around the rearing paddock and attacked the dog,” said Kirin.

“His lung was punctured and it was a fight to keep him alive.

“He was recovering great and after three weeks I was taking him back to the vet for a check-up when he suffered a stroke. That was some time ago and he is just starting to get around properly now. For a long time he could only get up on his front legs.

“He's still pretty dodgy when walking.”

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SIX heats of the Murray Bridge Cup (350m) were run and former NSW sprinter Lavish Pedro, now with Richard Stasiak at West Croydon, ran the quickest with a 18.76 run.

Ben Rawlings trained two heats winners, Sweet On Me (18.78) and Call Me Billy (19.03), while other heats went to Cawbourne Terry (18.92), Fly For Fun (19.04) and Spring Vinnie (18.91).