John Cameron and Brendan Casey, both based at Penshurst and long-time supporters of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club, were back among the winners last Thursday at Tara Raceway.
For Cameron it had been a case of Scottish Soldier, successful at only his second race start, quickly finding the front from box four in the Icon Signs Maiden Stake (305 metres).
The son of Shima Shine and Little Queeny ran out a four length winner over Obito in a time of 17.97 seconds. The win was Cameron’s first at Tara Raceway since May when he had won with Lektra Lee.
Little Queeny, a winner of two races at Warrnambool and Mount Gambier when trained by Cameron, is a well-bred daughter of US sire KC And All and staying bitch Lektra Kelly.
She’s now whelped two litters for Portland-based breeder Nifty Lenehan. The first was by Allen Deed, Cameron enjoying success with Smart Operator, a winner of 10 races at Mount Gambier and Warrnambool between 2023 and 2025.
Penny Pinto brought up her 15th win for Casey after leading all the way from box five in the Produce Store 5+W Stake (305 m). She defeated Compton Layla by 1¾ lengths in 17.81 seconds.
The daughter of Fernando Bale and Weeona Dotty had been purchased as a pup by another Penshurst greyhound racing participant in John Burow who passed away suddenly in September 2022.
And following his death, it was next door neighbour Brendan Casey who had taken on the ownership and training of the then unnamed seven-month-old brindle bitch.
Casey’s involvement in greyhound racing goes back more than 20 years to when a chance collect off a daily double at the gallops gave him enough to purchase a pup by No Intent out of Mepunga Image.
Later to race as Busted Sav, he went on to win six races at Sandown Park, The Meadows and Cranbourne.
Following Swift Gift and Princetown Flyer’s wins at Tara Raceway on New Year’s Day, Princetown owner-trainer April Janssen landed her second double for the year at last week’s meeting.
This time it was with Brass Band and Affray. By Plaintiff out of Osprey Rose, they were bred at Mepunga by Barry Smith whose wife Andrea races the pair in partnership with Janssen, also rearer of the littermates.
Lining up from box one in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m), Brass Band led all the way from box one and landed her first win at start number three. On the line she had 1½ lengths to spare over Frosty Ferris in a time of 18.06 seconds.
A couple of races later, in the Trackside Pet Meats TG1-4W Stake (305 m), and Affray, also in the red rug, took up the running off the back before scoring a 3½ length win over Cantara Gypsy in 17.83 seconds.
In the Quickmix Concrete Group Fast Forward TG5+W final (400 m), the Tracie Price trained Jetson, perhaps not surprisingly, gave nothing else a chance when carving out a quick 22.48 seconds.
The time is the quickest run since December 15, 2024 when the Catherine Roberts trained Lektra Tony equalled the Price-trained Minnie Banjo’s track record of 22.42 seconds that had been set in February 2022.
By Bernardo out of Rhonda Lily, Jetson has now won 13 races for owner Ben Price, son of the winning trainer.
Murray Bridge trainer Terry Daly was back at Tara Raceway for a third consecutive Thursday meeting with Pure Gout. And the unbeaten run continued with the daughter of Fernando Bale and Nangar Diva.
Drawn in box one in the Pindari Express at Stud TG5+W Stake (305 m), Pure Gout quickly found the front before running away to a five length win over Billy Bust Up in a quick 17.35 seconds.
Meanwhile, at Sandown Park in Victoria the following night, Compton Rocks contested the $75,000 to the winner Laurels final over 515 metres.
Raced by Tracie Price, the locally-based leading SA trainer, in partnership with his Warrnambool cousin Ken Monaghan, Compton Rocks is currently being trained in Victoria by Kayla Cottrell.
And after the daughter of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia found the front going out of the first turn she was never headed. On the line she had 3¾ lengths to spare over Serge in a time of 29.50 seconds.
Also bred by Price, Compton Rocks has now raced on 36 occasions for 14 wins and eight minor placings. All told, the June 2024 whelping has now won prize money of $101,485.