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.