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.