Compton-based trainer Tracie Price and his daughter Sarah will be hoping their in-form greyhound Pinky Rocks can continue on her winning way in a heat of this Sunday’s $25,000 Federal Hotel Anniversary Cup (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

Contesting last Sunday’s Federal Hotel Mixed Stake (512 m), Pinky Rocks displayed plenty of early pace from box six when leading all the way for a two length win over another genuine Anniversary Cup contender in Kia Keeping in a quick time of 29.36 seconds.

For the June 2024 daughter of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia, it was her fourth successive win. During June she won over 400 metres at Tara Raceway by 13½ lengths in a near-record time of 22.54 seconds.

Pinky Rocks then followed up with a 512 metre win in a quick 29.54 seconds before venturing to Murray Bridge where she won over 455 metres at the end of the month in a best of day time of 25.46 seconds.

The Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup was first run out at Glenburnie in 1985 when won by Hazel Lane’s Kenzel Lad. And the first Anniversary Cup run at the Lake Terrace East venue was won by the Col Sims trained Becker McLaren in 1997 in a time of 30.28 seconds.

Price boasts an impressive record in the cup. In 2020 he was successful with Spring Cuervo in 29.77 seconds. He then followed up in successive years with Tandiki (29.75 seconds) and Giant’s Flash who equalled his own track record when winning in 29.19 seconds.

And last Sunday was another big day for Price when he ended the day with four other winners as well – Compton Lass, Compton Rocks, Compton To Avoid and Rock It Kathy on the 10-race card. This was the third time this year that he had trained five winners at a local meeting.

Kicking off the meeting was the Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake over 600 metres which resulted in littermates Big Boy Jett and Blue Moon Marie fighting out the finish for local owners Noel Miller and Peter Lamond and Koroit trainer Peter Keane.

Always on the pace, Big Boy Jett, who had run third the previous week over 600 metres to Duran Pantera, defeated his sister by 1½ lengths in a time of 35.33 seconds. Early leader Weblec Shiralee, trained at Springton by Maddie Schulz, finished a further three lengths back in third spot.

Big Boy Jett and Blue Moon Marie are by Blue Moon Rising out of 2019 Mount Gambier Cup winner Galactic Athena. The litter also includes Robert Chuck’s locally owned Galactic Nemesis, a winner of 23 races.

According to long-time trainer Keane, there’s quite a story surrounding Blue Moon Marie, who together with her litter brother had been purchased as a pup from Worrolong breeder Steve Bartholomew and reared by Miller.

“Actually, Blue Moon Marie kicked off her racing career in pretty good style,” he said. “From her first five starts she won two races at Warrnambool over 390 metres and 450 metres.

“Then the rot set in after she fell at her next start at Warrnambool. We doubted whether she would ever race again but 12 months later she resumed. Finishing down the line at her first two runs back, we persevered and in May, much to our delight, she won over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.”

Keane said he would now weigh up his options as far as the 600 metre Eric Lewis Memorial at Tara Raceway on Anniversary Cup final day on Sunday, July 19 was concerned.

He also had Typhoon Thomas, at 5½ years of age the oldest runner engaged in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (305 m), a Masters race for greyhounds around four years of age and older.

But it was Cadillac Belle, at five years of age, and with 102 starts to her name, who led all the way from box five and defeated 109-start veteran Harry Chana by two lengths in 17.75 seconds for Edenhope trainer Kerry Hawker of Cadillac Racing.

By Aussie Infrared out of Marlise Bale, Cadillac Belle commenced racing at Tara Raceway back in October 2023 when defeating Mr. Tandiki over 305 metres in a time of 18.05 seconds.

And later in the day, Cap Abbott, the other half of Cadillac Racing, was successful with Bali Unleashed in the Icon Signs Stake (512 m).

By Beast Unleashed x Minnie Banjo, the black bitch chased Lektra Sting and Ollie Limes into the home straight before finishing powerfully for a length win in 30.67 seconds.