Pretty in ‘Pink’

Wandering Eyes · June 17, 2022

The Ray Borda show rolled on when Aston Velvet claimed the $126,500 Group Listed Pink Diamond Champion Distance final (660m) at Ballarat tonight.

A leviathan SA breeder, Borda is one of Victorian greyhound racing’s biggest contributors and thoroughly deserved the $75,000 winner’s purse and $11,250 breeders’ bonus.

Trained by Michelle Mallia at Avalon, Aston Velvet ($4.20) was always prominent and scored a comfortable 2.1L win over Greysynd Shock ($22.60), with Collinda Patty ($2.40F) – which won last year’s inaugural Pink Diamond Challenger Sprinter final – a further 1.04L away third in 37.99sec.

Aston Velvet (Dec ’19 Aston Kimetto x Aston Jadore) continues to elevate her game and has gone to another level since rising in distance.

She registered her 10^th win (with 10 seconds and six thirds) from 37 starts and her prizemoney catapulted to $154,203.

“She’s just a one-paced greyhound,” was Mallia’s humble assessment.

But she was more glowing when it came to Borda.

“He’s amazing and easy to train for. He’s a gentleman…”.

Aston Velvet came under serious notice as a staying prospect when third to Untapped and Jarick Bale in last month’s G1 Sandown Cup final (715m).

She beat home distance dynamos such as Collinda Lady, Gypsy Wyong and Mepunga Ruby in the $175,000 to-the-winner event.

Earlier on the gala Pink Diamond program, Borda won the $42,840 Pink Diamond Rookie Distance final (660m) with the Jack Campbell– trained Aston Pablo.

A winner of five races from only 25 starts, Aston Pablo (Dec ’19 Aston Kimetto x Aston Coco) claimed a $25,000 first prize and $3750 breeders’ bonus.

Borda raced Aston Kimetto, which won 11 races from only 23 starts. He won the G2 Ballarat Cup, G2 Geelong Gold Cup, and G3 Warragul St Leger – all in 2018.