It was another big day last Thursday for leading trainer Tracie Price of Compton who landed four winners at Tara Raceway’s time-graded afternoon meeting. Then, at Angle Park’s night meeting he was successful with Compton Gypsy.
Price’s winning day started off in the Sealeys Springworks TG1-4W Stake (305 metres) when Compton Zirconia quickly found the front from box one before holding on to defeat Just Rylee by a length in 17.82 seconds.
By 2018 Adelaide Cup Consolation winner Smart Knocka, out of local bitch Tandiki who won the 2021 Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup – both trained by Price – Compton Zirconia has now won three races in succession at the local track.
In race five, the Metal Worx TG5+W Stake (400 m), Price landed his second winner after Rocklea Earle, a son of Barcia Bale and Paint Face, gained a run as a reserve from box two. And the fawn dog led all the way for a 1¼ length win over Red To Burn in 22.98 seconds.
Then, a couple of races later, the Price owned and trained Flying Hugo led all the way from box two in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (305 m) for a 4¼ length win over Bali Unleashed in a near-record time of 17.21 seconds. The record is currently held by Wind Whiskers at 17.20 seconds.
And in the following race, the Klaassens Contractors Fast Forward final (400 m), Price landed his fourth win of the day. Canya Feel It, a daughter of Wow and Sandave Sky, made a real mess of the opposition when winning by 11¼ lengths over Extravagantly in a quick 22.68 seconds.
Later, at Angle Park, Compton Gypsy led all the way from box one in the third and final heat of the Howard Ashton Group 3 series over 530 metres when defeating Victa Graham by 3¾ lengths in a time of 30.37 seconds.
A daughter of Bernardo and Rhonda Lily, Compton Gypsy has now won at her past four Angle Park starts. Her litter brother, Big Diesel, last week won the Autumn Classic at Mount Gambier for Tim Richards of Meningie.
Back at Tara Raceway on Thursday afternoon and Cape Bridgewater owner-trainer Scott Blacksell’s Mocambora Mia was looking for another win at the local track. In fact, Mount Gambier is the only track she’s won on – perhaps not surprising given 104 of her 106 starts had been locally.
A $30 chance and away well from box five, the daughter of Superior Panama and Sweet On Me led all the way in the Trackside Pet Meats TG5+W Stake (305 m) for her 13th win. She defeated $1.12 chance Aston Torta by three-quarters of a length in 17.64 seconds.
Starlight Jewel, trained at Hamilton by Kyle Goodwin, found herself gaining a run as a reserve from box two in the Ontrack Insider TG5+W Stake (400 m).
It turned out to be a comfortable win for the daughter of Fernando Bale and Elusive Jewel who led all the way for a 2¼ length win over Close Shave in 23.15 seconds.
The previous night Goodwin had been at Ballarat with the Russell Wiseman owned Surprise Star. And the son of Tommy Shelby and Princess Kiwi led all the way from box two over 450 metres for a two length win in 25.28 seconds.
The Portland training team of Nicole Stanley and Nifty Lenehan fought out the Quickmix Concrete Group TG1-4W Stake (305 m) with Heart To Hartley leading all the way from box four and defeating Fabulous Fleur by 3¾ lengths in 17.82 seconds.
By US sire Kinda Cruel Red – who also sired the winner of race one in Rose Champagne – Heart To Hartley is out of Cryer’s Harper, a winner of 22 races at Tara Raceway when trained by Tom Cryer of Apsley.
And last week’s win – his second – had been a while coming given that the black dog’s first win had been 12 months ago over 305 metres at Tara Raceway.
Assisting Lenehan had been Penshurst owner-trainer John Cameron who achieved success in his own right later in the day after Lektra Lee had defeated Miracle Man in the Greg Martlew Autos TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
Only fairly away from box six, give away greyhound Lektra Lee, a son of Plaintiff and Lektra Viki, quickly found the front and from then on was never in any danger of defeat when winning by 2¼ lengths in 23.16 seconds.
The win was Cameron’s third after taking over the black dog in February this year.