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It seems, not even a win by a greyhound carrying the name of Speechless could quieten flamboyant Berringa trainer Michael Niele.
A regular at the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s Thursday afternoon time-graded meetings at Tara Raceway, he was at the track again last Thursday with wife Vicki and a team of eight dogs.
And Niele enjoyed another good day after leading in two winners, two second placings and a couple of thirds.
Actually, his day kicked off with a quinella in the first race, the Sealeys Springworks TG5+W Stake (305 metres), after Fernando Lee defeated Kazakhstan by three lengths in 17.71 seconds.
Vicki Niele with Speechless, winner of the Ferness @ Stud Fast Forward TG1-4W Stake at Tara Raceway last Thursday.
Then, later in the day, in the Ferness @ Stud TG1-4W Fast Forward final (400 m), it was another quinella for Niele after only a length separated Speechless and Appellant in a time of 23.21 seconds.
By Feral Franky out of Darryl’s Dream, Speechless is one of four littermates to have raced and won for Portland owner Shirley Halliday and Niele.
Other winners from the litter include Kazakhstan, Shirl The Whirl and Slovakia. And recently joining his littermates was Ballarat winner Compute.
The Fast Forward series, run at the time-graded meetings, comprise two heats and a final twice monthly with the winners receiving almost double the prize money of the normal time-graded winners.
Also up for grabs every Thursday is the $50 meat voucher for the winning connections of the Collins Court Butcher Stake.
And Major Queen looked well placed in last week’s race, which was run over 400 metres for the TG5+W class.
Trained at Hamilton by Lorraine Goodwin, Major Queen quickly found the front from box five before running out a 2¼ length winner over Ivory Pygmy in a time of 22.98 seconds.
A well-bred daughter of Tommy Shelby and Princess Kiwi, the blue bitch has now won 10 races, all at the Mount Gambier track. In fact, 43 of her 44 starts have been at the local track.
Kyle Goodwin with his $50 meat voucher, and Major Queen, winner of the Collins Court Butcher TG5+W Stake (400 m). Also pictured is handler Shane Flink.
One could probably be excused for thinking that Kyle Goodwin, standing in for mum, must have thought he had won the Melbourne Cup given his excitement at collecting the Collins Court voucher.
Meanwhile, landing his third win at Tara Raceway this year was the Koroit-based Ray Mahony owned and trained Lektra Hopper in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (305 m).
Always on the pace from box four, the son of Sennachie and Lektra Rainbow took up the running off the back before racing away to a 4½ length win over kennelmate Intuitive in 17.81 seconds.
Involved in greyhound racing for more than 50 years, Mahony purchased the black dog from Toolong breeder Phil Lenehan 12 months ago. The first win for his new owner was back in February this year at Tara Raceway.
In the Ontrack Insider TG5+W Stake (305 m), trainer Kerry Hawker’s pair – Cadillac Ragtop and Cadillac Belle – fought out the finish. And it was the former who ran out the winner by a neck in 17.90 seconds.
By Premier Fantasy out of Pamela Rocks, Cadillac Ragtop has now raced on 133 occasions for 36 wins. All but three of her starts have been at Tara Raceway, her first run resulting in a win over 305 metres on July 16, 2023.
Cadillac Belle, who has raced 113 times, all at Tara Raceway for 18 wins, also won at her first start back on October 8, 2023 when defeating Mr. Tandiki over 305 metres.
And making it a clean sweep for the Cadillac Kennels was the Captain Abbott owned and trained Close Shave who finished third when beaten by 2¼ lengths.
All up, the Edenhope-based Hawker and Abbott have now trained 22 winners each this year at Tara Raceway.
A clean sweep for Cadillac Kennels. Cadillac Ragtop defeats Cadillac Belle and Close Shave in the Ontrack Insider TG5+W Stake over 305 metres.
Terang-based Catherine and Mark Roberts also enjoyed a successful day last Thursday after they were successful with Rose Champagne and Glimmer Of Hope.
Bred, owned and trained by Catherine Roberts, Rose Champagne quickly took up the running from box one in the Trackside Pet Meats TG1-4W Stake (305 m) before running out a 4½ length winner over French Blonde in 17.94 seconds.
By US sire Kinda Cruel Red, Rose Champagne – a winner of three races – is out of Nyssa’s Girl, a daughter of Out Of Range and Mepunga Nyssa. She raced on 128 occasions for 11 wins.
Then, in the last race, the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (305 m), the Mark Roberts owned and trained Glimmer Of Hope found herself a clear last early from box two.
But the daughter of Good Odds Harada and Shim’s Heart railed through turning for home before running away to a three-quarter length win over Mocambora Mitch in 18.03 seconds.
