The Mount Gambier Summer Classic, first run over 512 metres at Tara Raceway for greyhounds whelped on or after January 1 two years prior, initially had been conducted in January or February.

But last year the event took on a new name – the Autumn Classic. By then a $10,000 series, the age restriction remained the same although it was run in May when won by Robert Chuck’s locally-owned Galactic Nemesis and trained at Finniss by Lauren Harris.

And with this year’s classic attracting sufficient nominations to run three heats at last Sunday’s meeting it’s fair to say the Trackside Pet Meats sponsored Autumn Classic once again had held up pretty well.

Leading trainer Tracie Price went into the first heat looking to hold a strong hand with Compton Rocks, a June 2024 daughter of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia and a winner last month at Angle Park over 530 metres in 30.58 seconds.

Overcoming interference down the back straight before finding the lead turning for home, the black bitch went to the line strongly for a two length win over Reiko Comet, trained at Dennington by Dustin Drew, in 30.08 seconds.

Price, who also bred last Sunday’s first heat winner, will now be looking to add to his two Summer Classic wins of 2023 and 2024 – when Honey Rocks (Fernando Bale x Rhonda Rocks) and Wild Banker had been successful – with Compton Rocks who also traces back to Rhonda Rocks.

Meningie trainer Tim Richards, after Summer Classic wins in 2021 and 2022 with Justice For All and He’s All Purpose, is chasing further success with Big Diesel, a son of Bernardo x Rhonda Lily who was also bred by Price.

Purchased at six months of age by Richards, he now races the black dog in partnership with his cousin, Don Richards. The May 2044 whelping has now won nine races from 26 starts – his past two wins prior to last Sunday over 595 metres at Angle Park.

Jumping from box one in the second heat last Sunday, Big Diesel was fairly away before finding the front down the back straight and running away to a 3¾ length win over the Price owned and trained Compton Shelly in a quick 29.44 seconds.

Langhorne Creek trainer Tony Hinrichsen was successful in the 2016 Summer Classic with Menzel Boys, a son of Dyna Tron and Fighting Fury. Now, 10 years later, he looks to be right in the mix in this Sunday’s final with Lil Rex.

Jumping from box one in the third and final heat, the black dog was never headed and eventually ran out a 4¾ length winner over Rock It Kathy in the fastest time of the three heats – 29.35 seconds.

Bred by Cam Forshaw, trainer of this year’s Mount Gambier Cup winner Gunning Bandit, Lil Rex is by Bernardo out of Lily Pad who won 17 races and more than $55,000 in prize money.

And he was purchased as a pup by a long-time associate of Hinrichsen in Mypolonga-based Brad Frahn who reared and broke-in Lil Rex prior to sending him to Langhorne Creek for training.

So, through to the Autumn Classic final (not in box order) are: Compton Rocks, Reiko Comet, Big Diesel, Compton Shelly, Naringal Lad, Lil Rex, Rock It Kathy and She’s A Jumbo. And well done to Allansford-based Jacob Rea, a Tara Raceway first-timer, on reaching the final with Naringal Lad.

Tim Richards’ good run this year at Tara Raceway certainly continued last Sunday after Big Diesel won his way through to the Autumn Classic final while litter sister She’s A Jumbo also qualified for the final with a 29.85 seconds third placing behind Lil Rex.

Earlier in the day, the Richards trained Jazzy Boo brought up her third successive 305 metre win after leading all the way from box five in the Williams Crane Hire Stake and defeating Speechless by 2¼ lengths in 17.61 seconds.

And Richards ended the day with a treble after Ritza Wotton found the front down the back in the Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake before running out a 4¾ length winner in 23.02 seconds.

Also enjoying a good day was Dustin Drew. Into the Autumn Classic final on the back of a second placing behind Compton Rocks with Reiko Comet, Duran Nirvana then scored a good win over Lektra Skip in the Icon Signs Stake (512 m) in the good time of 29.42 seconds.

Heathmere-based Garry Marshman shared the training honours at Tara Raceway last Thursday with a double after Trust Deed and Ralph The Rat were successful in the Trackside Pet Meats TG5+W Stake (400 metres) and the Federal Hotel TG1-4W Stake (305 m).

Trust Deed, purchased by Marshman for $800 late last year after having won three races at Warragul and Sale, settled in second spot behind Close Shave before finishing strongly for a nose win in 23.13 seconds.

The son of Allen Deed and Indy’s Happy has now won a further three races at Mount Gambier since relocating to Heathmere.

A couple of races later and Ralph The Rat, having his second run back from a three-month break, led all the way from box one for a 3¼ length win over Puddin’ Cake in 17.81 seconds.

Bred by Marshman, the black dog was a winner on debut at Tara Raceway over 305 metres in January 2025. He is by Kuro Kismet, a winner of 14 races and $221,000 in prize money, and out of nine-race winner Crazy Old Duck.

“Interestingly, I reckon today’s double was my first here since back on March 1, 2020 when Crazy Old Duck, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Marcus Glory, and her litter sister, Crazy Old Bird, had been successful,” he said.

Following Meningie trainer Tim Richards’s double at the previous time-graded meeting with Flash Gordon and Jazzy Boo, he backed up again last week with another double by way of Extravagantly and Jazzy Boo.

A well-bred son of Zambora Brockie and Auspicious Queen, the giveaway Extravagantly won his second race at the track when finishing strongly in the Cadillac Racing TG1-4W Stake (400 m) for a 2¼ length win over Patty’s Dream in 23.60 seconds.

Richards then book-ended the 10-race meeting after Jazzy Boo – a daughter of Barcia Bale and Cruise Mode – led all the way in the Collins Court Butcher TG5+W Stake (305 m) when defeating kennelmate Bulsara by 2¼ lengths in 17.48 seconds.

Meanwhile, Paul Hammerstein, of Ararat, was back with litter brothers Is He Lucky and Is He Happy who are by Beast Unleashed out of Made Me Blind and have now hit the 100-start mark.

Lining up from box two in the Gordon Refrigeration TG5+W Stake (400 m), Is He Lucky was always on the pace before finishing strongly for a three-quarter length win over Magic Nancy in 23.02 seconds.

Later in the day, Is He Happy quickly found the front from box two in the Ontrack Insider TG5+W Stake (305 m) before running out a 3¾ length winner over Flash Gordon in an extremely quick time of 17.29 seconds.

The brothers both made their race debuts on August 25, 2024 at Mount Gambier with Is He Lucky winning first up over 400 metres. Is He Happy finished fifth over 305 metres but returned four days later for a win in 17.83 seconds.

Is He Lucky and Is He Happy have now raced on 105 and 104 times respectively for 32 and 22 wins.

And last Thursday’s meeting also marked the conclusion of the latest charity-based Tara Tipsters competition which had been run in support of the Mount Gambier Cancer Support Group Inc.

Run over the space of a couple of months, this turned out to be an interesting series with Scott Blacksell of Cape Bridgewater finishing on top with 424 points from Mark Hall (405) and Robert Stafford (403).

On Sunday, May 17 at Tara Raceway, the Tara Tipsters will make a donation to representatives from the Mount Gambier Cancer Support Group in conjunction with the running of a Tara Tipsters Stake.

Wrapping up the month will be heats and final of the Collins Court Butcher Grade Six (400 m) set down for Sunday, May 24 and May 31 which will carry prize money of $1610.

Next month at Tara Raceway will be highlighted by the running of the inaugural Trackside Tri-Distance series over 512 metres, 305 metres and 400 metres which is being sponsored by Trackside Pet Meats.

The first two rounds will both carry prize money of $2400 with each runner allocated points in accordance with their finishing position.

The $3000 Tri-Distance final over 400 metres on Sunday, June 21 will comprise the leading point scorers from the first two rounds which will be run on Sunday, June 7 and 14.

 

It was back in 2015 that Peter and Sandy Coulson of the Lower South East Legacy Group had made their way out to Tara Raceway for the ANZAC Cup presentation (512 metres).

As it turned out, the race was won by a more than handy greyhound called Sunday Shoes who had been trained at Pinnaroo by Nathan Wilson.

And it’s been some time since he was last at Tara Raceway. Actually, the same could apply to most of the trainers who had runners in the $890 to the winner ANZAC Cup – trainers such as Ben Boers, Brian Weis, Bernie Rogers and the late Tom Cryer.

But still going strong is Compton-based Tracie Price who in the 2015 cup had Sakanon Moment engaged in box one. He finished third to Sunday Shoes, beaten 5¾ lengths in a winning time of 30.50 seconds.

In recent years, though, Price has done well in the ANZAC races conducted at Tara Raceway. In 2022 he was successful with Giant’s Flash and in 2024 and 2025 with Honey Rocks.

Then, at last Sunday’s meeting it was Honey Zen who gave Price his third successive ANZAC success when virtually leading all the way from box two and holding out a fast finishing Aston Sushi for a length win in 29.87 seconds.

By Barcia Bale, the black bitch is out of Indy Honey and is owned in Adelaide by Justin Tribe. All told, she has now won 17 races and more than $75,000 in prize money.

Honey Zen’s win was part of another big day for Price who finished with four winners on the 12-race program after Dirty Dash, Pinky Rocks and Wild Star had also been successful.

Meanwhile, after smart 305 metre wins at Tara Raceway last Thursday with the Shirley Halliday owned littermates Kazakhstan and Speechless in times of 17.57 seconds and 17.40 seconds, Berringa trainer Michael Niele followed up on Sunday with litter sister Shirl The Whirl, a first starter.

By Feral Franky out of Darryl’s Dream, Shirl The Whirl found the front turning for home in the Collins Court Butcher Maiden Stake (305 m) before running out a 1¾ length winner over Dynamite Frank in 18.02 seconds.

Bred in Victoria at Carisbrook by John Ahern, two dogs and three bitches were purchased at three months of age by WA-based Michael Halliday, whose parents Robert and Shirley of Portland then reared the litter.

“However, down the track when the pups had just started to be broken-in, Dad suffered a significant health setback and the litter found its way to Michael and Vicki Niele’s property at Berringa,” Michael said.

“It was pleasing to see Shirl The Whirl win last Sunday because she did break-in very well. Even though she’s not going quite as well at the moment I’m confident she will continue to improve.

“But the pick of the litter is a red brindle dog that goes by the name of Compute. He is trained at Rowsley by Anthony Azzopardi who has won at Ballarat with him and has also been placed there as well as Shepparton.

“And Anthony is of the belief that Compute possesses enormous ability and may well have a big race in him.”

Shirley was at Tara Raceway last Sunday, not only to watch Shirl The Whirl win but also to cheer on her husband’s two runners – High Cube engaged in the ANZAC Gift and his litter brother Way Cool in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake. Both ran good races to finish third.

The brothers are by Flying Ricciardo out of Miami Fernando who is also the dam of Darryl’s Dream.

In a change of pace, earlier this year representatives of the Limestone Coast Prostate Cancer Support Group attended a Sunday afternoon race meeting at Tara Raceway where they received a $1000 donation from the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) Tara Tipsters.

Supporting local charities for the past five years through participants’ donations by way of a twice-weekly tipping competition, the group really enjoyed their day at the dogs and were most appreciative of the Tara Tipsters’ donation.

Last Sunday, Tony Duddy, Chairperson of the Limestone Coast Prostate Cancer Support Group was on course to present the MGGRC President, Dave Green, with a certificate of appreciation for the generous donation.

Mr Duddy said the donation had been greatly appreciated and would be utilised to support Prostate Cancer patients throughout the South East region.