The 2020 season at Mount Gambier had started out pretty well for Edenhope greyhound trainer Cap Abbott, Mauritian Rascal bringing up his 11th win for the year on Sunday, March 22.
However, soon to follow was the onset of Covid-19 and all of a sudden it was Abbott, and many of his fellow Victorian trainers who regarded Tara Raceway as their home track, unable to cross the border.
Recently, SAPOL advised that a “bubble” had been created with Victoria for cross-border movement. This would allow those who fell within a 40 km radius entry into SA under specific criteria.
Trainers who fell within the radius and had obtained approval from SAPOL were then required to supply Greyhound Racing SA with that approval. Upon receipt, GRSA would then accept nominations from the trainers for Mount Gambier meetings only.
Abbott couldn’t submit his paperwork quickly enough, back at Tara Raceway for Thursday’s meeting and looking to take up where he left off almost six months ago.
And he had to wait only until race four, the Klaassens Contractors Stake (400 metres) – the third and final heat of a grade five series – with giveaway greyhound Banjo Bliss which he races with local owner Kerry Hawker.
A winner for Abbott over 390 metres at Warrnambool at the end of July, the son of Banjo Boy x Short Blond Hair quickly put himself into Thursday’s race, settling in second spot down the back before finishing too strongly for Falcon Heavy to win by three lengths in 23.18 seconds.
Abbott was also able to catch up with his 2019 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year, Black Spring, currently being trained at Compton by Tracie Price who took over the son of Spring Gun x Lektra Scarlett in July.
Black Spring finished third in the Williams Crane Hire Mixed Stake (512 m) behind Elle Limes and Little Earner in a best of day 29.92 seconds. He’s now run three consecutive third placings over 512 metres on the back of winning last month’s The Tankman 600 on Mount Gambier Cup day.
Mediation, formerly based at Portland with Robert Halliday – another who regards Tara Raceway as his home track – also looks to be appreciating being back in Mount Gambier.
Now owned and trained locally by Noel Perry, the son of SH Avatar x Cairnlea Shadow was having his third start for the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club president when jumping from box one in the Gambier Vets Maiden/One Win Stake.
His two previous runs had resulted in more than handy second placings behind Heckle Me and Dick Grayson over 512 metres. Leading into Thursday’s 400 metre race there had been some concern on Perry’s part as to whether the distance would be too short for Mediation.
But there was no need to worry, the 34 kilograms black dog leading all the way for a 5¼ lengths win over the Abbott-trained Another Pick in a tidy 23.19 seconds. The win broke a run of outs for Perry who had last been successful at Tara Raceway on May 7 with Lektra Phyliss.