According to Painswick owner-trainer Rick Boehm, the pint-sized 22 kilogram giveaway Little Button had been a real problem dog after his partner Sandra Elmes took over her training some six months ago.
“To be honest, Little Button had been something of a psycho upon arrival. She had a real attitude problem, barked all day and wouldn’t chase the lure. In the end we sent her off to be broken-in again,” he said.
Whelped in April 2024, the black daughter of Aston Rupee and Limit Switch finally made her racing debut at Tara Raceway on Thursday, May 21 when running third, beaten 8¾ lengths in a personal time of a steady 18.66 seconds.
The following week she ran fourth behind Our Girl Selkie, well beaten but running considerably quicker in a personal time of 18.38 seconds. Her third start resulted in running a time of 18.17 seconds and finishing a 1¾ length second to French Blonde.
Lining up last Thursday from box eight in the Gordon Refrigeration Maiden Stake (305 m) as an $11 chance, Little Button flew the boxes and was never headed when defeating Cinta’s Me Mum by 1½ lengths in a personal best time of 17.95 seconds.
“She’s still got a bit of an attitude problem,” Boehm said following the win. “But when you put the work in and get rewarded it makes you feel the effort is all worthwhile.”
Her litter of three also includes Tripped Out, the black dog owned by the breeder Michelle Nolan and trained at Devon Meadows by Natalie Presutto. He has won three races at The Meadows, three at Sandown Park and one at Geelong for prize money of $62,000.
Meanwhile, later in the day Boehm and Elmes also combined to win the Trackside Pet Meats TG1-4W Stake (400 m) with Miracle Man, a son of My Redeemer and Avatar Minty.
Miracle Man led all the way from box one and never looked like being beaten when running out a 4½ length winner over Saint Ella in a personal best time of 23.19 seconds. The win was his third in succession at the track and distance.
Lady Tsunade, who won her maiden over 305 metres at Tara Raceway back in February for North Bendigo owner-trainer Aaron Blake, brought up her second win in last Thursday’s Quickmix Concrete Group TG1-4W (305 m).
The daughter of Hooked On Scotch and Adelong led all the way from box five when defeating Moonlight Nellie by 1¼ lengths in 17.59 seconds which was one of the faster times of the day.
Lady Tsunade is from the first litter of Adelong who in 2022 won 10 races for Blake at Tara Raceway over 400 m, 512 m, 600 m and 732 m. She has a litter to follow by Christo Bale and was recently mated with Hector Fawley.
And bringing up her first win this year for Glencoe trainer Dean Fennell was Compton Layla in the Sealeys Springworks TG5+W Stake (305 m).
It was a case of the daughter of Feral Franky and Galactic Horizon setting up the win at box rise after flying the lids and leading all the way for a 1½ length win over Duran Rachel in 17.75 seconds.
Compton Layla’s last win had been in early November while last Thursday had been her first success over 305 metres. All told, Fennell has now trained 24 winners at Tara Raceway this year.
Bringing up his 32nd win from 137 starts for Edenhope owner-trainer Captain Abbott was Mister Cadillac. The 4½-year-old son of Magical Bale and Koa Lass railed well on the home turn and defeated Major Queen by 1½ lengths in the Outback Insider TG5+W Stake (305 m) in 17.61 seconds.
On Thursday night in Queensland, two of Major Queen’s brothers in Winsome Jet and Winsome Rambo – now with prize money earnings of more than $230,000 and $71,000 respectively – won heats of the Flying Amy Classic (520 m).
The pair of blue dogs, by Tommy Shelby out of Princess Kiwi, will now contest the $225,000 Flying Amy Classic final on Thursday night.
