Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club

Tara Raceway, Lake Terrace East, Mount Gambier, SA

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 (Time-Graded): Nominations close at 9 a.m. (SA time) on Monday, November 11 with GRSA. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17: Nominations close at 9 a.m. (SA time) on Tuesday, November 12 with GRSA.

 

WEDNESDAY (9.30) AND SATURDAY (9.00) TRIAL MORNINGS/FOUR-DOG PUPPY TRIALS: For bookings please contact Tim Manterfield (0400 269 765) before 4 p.m. on the day prior. SATISFACTORY TRIALS: For bookings please contact Barry Shepheard. CLUB MANAGER: Mark Dwyer 0419 863 762.

CATCHERS AVAILABLE: Trainers are advised that Zari and Bayle Newman, when in attendance at race meetings, will be available for catching duties.

SUNDAY’S DA’LENI MEATS MEMBERS MEAT TRAY DRAW: Michael Robinson (No. 1).

 

 

The day Tara Raceway was thunderstruck

Worth the wait. Compton Robbie defeats Aldren Bale in the rain-delayed Commercial Hotel Stake at Tara Raceway last week.

There were no problems with the first four races at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting last Thursday. Then the claps of thunder kicked in and 16 mm of rain bucketed down in the space of 10 minutes.

At one stage it appeared as though the meeting could have ended as a four-race affair – a bit like the fixture last summer that was called off due to the extreme heat after three races had been run.

But an hour or so later – and after some frantic work on the track – the race five greyhounds were ready for take two of the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake over 512 metres. Six of the eight runners took their place after Velocity Lotus and Mepunga Roz were scratched without penalty.

As far as Compton Robbie was concerned, another hour’s wait probably wasn’t going to bother Portland trainer Robert Halliday too much. After all, the win of the son of Glen Gallon and Lots Of Yap was his first since February 22 at Tara Raceway.

Chasing his 13th win, the black dog, after being well back early, finished strongly when defeating Aldren Bale by three-quarters of a length in 30.60 seconds. And the day didn’t end too badly for Halliday who also led back four minor placegetters.

Annette Kampman with Myola Thunder, the omen bet of the day at Tara Raceway last Thursday.

Actually, given the earlier conditions, the omen bet of the day was surely Myola Thunder, one of the fancied runners in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake (400 m) for Purdeet owner-trainer Annette Kampman.

Away well from box seven, the son of Aussie Infrared and Pocket Queen chased the Halliday-trained Wangler for much of the journey before finishing over the top of the early leader for a half-length win in 23.56 seconds.

And his win in the tenth race wrapped up a pretty good day for the lady trainers who led in five winners.

Linda Gore, of Warrnambool, kicked off the day for the girls with a win in the first, the Federal Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m), with Moonlight Oscar.

By Koblenz out of Swift Brittany, the fawn dog commenced his racing career the previous week with a 1½ length second to Magic Mack in 17.94 seconds.

Settling in second spot from box one behind Menari Ace, Moonlight Oscar took up the running off the back and went on for a 3¼ length win over the early leader in 17.89 seconds.

A running double in races two and three for Hamilton trainer Lorraine Goodwin continued her good run at Tara Raceway this year and now sees her sitting in sixth spot on the Ian Badger trainers’ list with 30 wins.

Lining up in the second race from box eight, Lust To Burn led all the way in the Da’Leni Meats TG1-4W Stake (305 m) and brought up her second win with a 2¼ length win over Impress Joe in 17.79 seconds.

Then, in the following race, the Metal Worx TG5+W Stake (400 m), Kiwi To Burn led all the way for a 3¾ length win over Grumpy Sailor in 23.31 seconds.

Kerry Hawker, pictured with Kerry’s Cadillac, was part of a good day for the lady trainers at Tara Raceway last week.

Edenhope trainer Kerry Hawker took her tally to 33 wins when Kerry’s Cadillac led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (400 m) and defeated kennelmates Argyle Kinloch and Cadillac Girl in 23.73 seconds.

Meanwhile, later in the day, veteran chaser Crymelon Comet chased home Starvin’ Marvin at what was start number 144. Whelped in April 2019, the son of Hawk Alone and Crymelon Holly is a winner of 12 races and more than $50,000 in prize money.

The red brindle dog is owned and trained at Warracknabeal by Ian Bibby who is also president of the Horsham Greyhound Racing Club.

And Bibby reported that the six-year-old Butternut – a daughter of David Bale and Pah Leeze – who last raced at Tara Raceway only last month before being retired with 11 wins and $20,000 in prize money, has been mated with Crymelon Comet.

Training honours for the day went the way of Tracie Price and Jason Newman who both landed trebles. Price was successful with Compton Tilly, Barra Banjo and Starvin’ Marvin. Newman’s treble was with Turning Oak, Hotfoot Lump and Paw Some Shade – his first this year.

Sandy and Jack make the right choice

There are plenty of terrific stories to come out of greyhound racing. And one of those includes a wheelchair-bound lady by the name of Sandy Pearce from Murray Bridge – and a dog called Jack.

Now, Sandy did have some idea of what greyhound racing was all about, having previously lived near the Angle Park track in Adelaide.

But when first looking for a companion dog she was the first to admit that she wasn’t really interested in a former racing dog.

“Despite this, my husband Alan was adamant that a greyhound, due to its size, would be ideal for me, given my situation,” Sandy said.

Jack (Lochinvar Cahill) catches up Alan and Sandy Pearce and their pet dog upon arrival at Murray Bridge.

“Anyway, in the end I did opt for a greyhound. And I have to say the first time I saw Kelly my heart just melted. And when the dog passed away after eight wonderful years together I knew I had to get another greyhound.”

A week after the passing of Kelly, David Peckham and Christine Yourgules of Bourne Kennels at Allendale East had hit the highway to Murray Bridge with a couple of retired greyhounds on board for Sandy to check out.

In another life one of the pair had raced as Lochinvar Cahill, a white and black dog who won the 2022 Winter Classic at Mount Gambier and the following year was runner-up to Titan Blazer in the Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup.

All told Lochinvar Cahill, who answers to the name of Jack, raced on 34 occasions for 10 wins and prize money of more than $26,000. But it’s probably fair to say that Sandy wasn’t really interested in the dog’s statistics.

“You know, the first time I met Jack he just stood there and never took his eyes off me,” Sandy said. “And I said to Christine and David, that he was the dog for me. Really, he chose me and I’m now at a stage that I actually feel better when he’s by my side.”

Sandy also relates a remarkable story in which Jack features prominently.

“On this particular occasion I came out of the bedroom after experiencing great difficulty in breathing. Jack simply looked up at me, put his head on my lap and then raced up our passage, barking all the way and waking up Alan.

“Really, that was quite remarkable in itself given that he rarely barks. And when he returned to where I was he simply put his head back on my lap and left it there until an ambulance arrived.

“The episode resulted in a stay in hospital although obviously the end result could have been somewhat different had it not been for Jack.”

And such is Jack’s laid-back nature that he now also spends time frolicking in a yard occupied by a dozen or so of Alan and Sandy’s chooks.

All things being equal, Sandy is now looking forward to many more wonderful years with her latest former racing greyhound.

An initiative of Greyhound Racing SA, Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to finding homes for both retired and non-racing greyhounds and also educating the public about the gentle nature of the breed. Contact can be made on (08) 8243 7124.

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