Outsider wins anniversary cup

The Von Duve family claim 50th Mount Gambier Gold Cup

It was a race for the ages and a fitting celebration of the 50th anniversary of the running of the Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club’s Gold Cup.

The 2023 Matthews Petroleum Mount Gambier Gold Cup (start pictureed below) was to be blunt – a boilover – won by an 80-1 pop in Springfield Affair (pictreud above right with driver Mark Phillips).

For the most part, the 2590m race went to script. Hanging Fire took the early lead with favourite Operative Line sitting in behind and then it didn’t take too long for Jackie Barker to challenge the leaders with Sea Lover with the speed on.

2022 winner Royal Speech also looked well placed with the field never really spreading out in what was an evenly contested cup final.

Jillaby Rippa looked set to feature in the finish having spent the race doing little to no work sitting fourth, and still no one was paying attention to the eventual winner – Springfield Affair minding his own business on the rails as Mark Phillips just waited to the chance to pounce.

Heading to the post for the final time, Sea Lover looked to be travelling well despite the work the mare had done in the quickly run final but in the end, after heading to the photo, Mark Phillips had timed his run to perfection, sneaking through on the inside to effect one of the biggest upsets in the race’s 50 year history.

And again the 2023 winner showcased the best of Mount Gambier harness racing – the family tradition – with Lyn and Kevin Von Duve (pictured above left with cup & driver Mark Phillips), strong supporters, along with many Glencoe families, of the local pacing scene, taking out the club’s top prize.

Not only were they the winning owners, but Kevin was also the trainer, while driver Mark Phillips secured his first Mount Gambier Gold Cup courtesy of his composed driver.

It was only his second win on the Greenwald Paceway track this year. Sea Lover finished second with 2022 winner Royal Speech finishing third. Pacesetter Hanging Fire faded to sixth, while the favourite, Operative Line, had no luck and finished seventh. PHOTOS BY FRANK MONGER