Saturday, September 14, 2019

For the Trengove family training team of Clint, Shelley and Harrison it was the first time they’d raced greyhounds at Tara Raceway – Clint and his 18-year-old son Harrison making the 5½-hour trip down from Lewiston with a trailer-load of 12 dogs for last Thursday’s time-graded meeting.

The day started well, and just kept on getting better, Stitch ‘Em Raids leading all the way from box eight in the first race, The Border Watch Maiden Stake (400 metres) to defeat his kennelmate Stitch ‘Em Billy by a neck in 23.86 seconds.

Clint and Harrison Trengove’s day got off to a good start at Tara Raceway last Thursday when Stitch ‘Em Raids (No. 8) and Stitch ‘Em Billy ran the quinella in the first race.

By Oaks Road out of Coolabah Jet, a winner of 19 races and $66,000 in stakemoney, the SA-bred Stitch ‘Em Raids, owned and trained by Shelley Trengove, also picked up a $1000 breeder’s bonus for connections.

Several races later, Clint Trengove chipped in when Stitch ‘Em Frank – purchased as a pup – led all the way in the Greg Martlew Stake (400 m), the son of Barcia Bale and the US-bred Oya Nine Wonwon defeating Trapezius by 3½ lengths in 23.77 seconds.

Stitch ‘Em Panda, by Taylors Sky x All You Can and another one purchased as a pup, this time from Williamstown breeder Ray Fewings, led all the way in the following race, the JB Irrigation Stake (512 m), defeating Mount Duke by four lengths in 30.21 seconds for Shelley Trengove.

Then it was time for young Harrison to get among the action, Trickeration well supported to win the Winmore Greyhound Kennels Stake (512 m) even though all his winning form had been over the short course.

Joining the Trengove kennels after having won six races, the son of El Grand Senor x Honky Tonk Doll found the front early but was headed off by third-starter Rotate down the back before coming again in the home straight to win by a half length in 30.27 seconds.

The winners continued for the Trengove family, Dyna Alice then taking the lead down the back straight and holding off a fast finishing Big Casey in the Swallow Drive Meats Stake (512 m) to win by 1½ lengths in 30.18 seconds.

A $2000 pick-up, last Thursday’s win was the daughter of Bella Infrared x Dyna Cari’s fourth for Shelley.

And it was Clint who led in Team Trengove’s sixth winner for the day, Stitch ‘Em Bear – an older full brother to earlier winner Stitch ‘Em Panda – leading early in the Metal Worx Stake (400 m) before fighting off a home straight challenge from last start winner Dreamliner to win by a half-length in 23.44 seconds.

Amanda Darmanin, Clint Trengove and his son Harrison with the Trengove family’s six winners last Thursday – Trickeration, Stitch ‘Em Frank, Stitch ‘Em Raids, Stitch ‘Em Panda, Stitch ‘Em Bear and Dyna Alice.

All told, the day ended with six wins, two seconds and two thirds from their 12 runners.

Involved with greyhounds for 10 years in Broken Hill, where he had been a pet food supplier, Clint Trengove decided 18 months ago to make the move with his family to SA .

This, of course, had also been the case many years prior when Doug Payne – subsequently inducted into the Australian Greyhound Racing Hall of Fame – had relocated to Meadows and then later Des Hockley to Lewiston. Both had been former leading trainers in Broken Hill.

“Currently we’re preparing to build a home on our 2½ acre block at Lewiston,” Trengove said. “I suppose you could say that it’s a case of us following our dreams.”

Their best dog is Stitch ‘Em Cilla, a daughter of Dyna Double One and 14-race winner Power Merc, purchased for $3000 at 12 weeks of age from Lewiston breeder Robin Harnas.

With the black bitch having now raced on 35 occasions in the space of just over 12 months, winning 11 races and running 12 minor placings for stakemoney of $41,000, it’s probably fair to say that the Trengove family is indeed living the dream.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

When it comes to national racing locations, it’s probably not all that surprising that Mount Gambier is one of the most difficult to access in a convenient and affordable manner and that the cost implications are significant.

As such, Tabcorp has approached Greyhound Racing SA and is seeking its support to undertake a trial of remote race calling of races from Mount Gambier.

GRSA Chief Executive Officer Matt Corby said Tabcorp had been working on a remote race caller strategy that was of acceptable quality and one in which the viewer would not detect any difference.

“It is Tabcorp’s intention to operate a hybrid meeting on Thursday, September 26 wherein they will test the remote system but also have a race caller in place at Tara Raceway,” he said.

“Subject to the outcome of that trial, Tabcorp would then be looking to go to a full remote situation from the following Sunday meeting on September 29.”

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Kyneton greyhound trainer Adam Wilcock, fresh from a double at his first visit to Tara Raceway last month, will be hoping his greyhound Run Fast Bonnie can go one better when she contests the Rock’s Retreat grade five final (400 metres) on Sunday afternoon.

Another Scenario defeats Run Fast Bonnie in a heat of the grade 5 series at Tara Raceway last Sunday.

On the back of a Geelong win over 460 metres, Run Fast Bonnie was having her first start at the track in a heat of the series last week when chasing Another Scenario throughout to go down by 1¾ lengths in 23.21 seconds.

By Kayda Shae (11 wins, $232,000) out of Starlight Blush, a winner of 10 races in three states, Run Fast Bonnie will take on a smart field that also includes a couple of other quick heat winners in Azalea Monelli (23.10 seconds) and Azumi Stringer (23.18 seconds).

But Wilcock’s fawn bitch, with a record of five wins, two seconds and three thirds from only 22 starts, should be improved by the run on the track and looks to be well drawn in box two.

With four G-SIX heats of the grade five series run last week, there appeared to be confusion as to the number of dogs contesting the final (six or eight), some trainers believing that first and second would automatically advance to what would be an eight-dog final.

Azalea Monelli was the fastest of the grade 5 heats for trainer David Peckham.

However, Greyhound Racing SA grader, Greg Barber, said this week that generally speaking if the heats were run as G-SIX events (six-dog fields) then the final would also comprise only six dogs.

“When clubs are running G-SIX races and four quadrella legs with eight dogs then it can become a bit confusing,” he said.

“My advice to trainers with greyhounds that they believe could be in the mix for a finals berth would be that they nominate anyway. That way if they are not in the final then they can still be considered for another race on the program.”

The win of the Tim Aloisi and Matt Lehman owned Azalea Monelli was David Peckham’s fourth win of the day after Cruising By, Coco Suzy and Usain Insane had previously been successful for Tara Raceway’s leading trainer.

Locally, this year the Allendale East-based Peckham has trained 78 winners which includes 17 doubles and six trebles along with four winners on two other occasions and five winners on April 3 – Bourne Birdie, Pirate’s Curse, Bourne Blackjack, Flash Jackie and Bourne Bill.

Meanwhile, SA Country Cup contenders Springvale Alysa, Bourne Thanks and Wanchai Express will clash in Sunday’s Greyhound-Data.com Open Stake (512 m) as a lead-up to Sunday week’s Country Cup heat/s.

Last week Springvale Alysa led all the way from box eight to defeat Bourne Thanks by two lengths in the Laser Electrical Open Stake (512 m) in 30.09 seconds, the daughter of Dyna Double One x Springvale Cool looking even better served this week after drawing box one.

And as far as this year’s Country Cup is concerned, Kongorong trainer John Little will be hoping for a bit more luck than last year when Springvale Alysa ran third in her heat – beaten only 2¼ lengths in 29.92 seconds – behind Hutch and Theo’s Thunder.

Cap Abbott with Black Spring who will step up to 732 metres on Sunday.

The enigmatic Wanchai Express, a Mount Gambier Cup finalist this year, and a winner at Tara Raceway over 512 metres in 29.68 seconds last month, had a hit-out on Wednesday for Portland trainer Nicole Stanley over 350 metres up the straight at Murray Bridge where he ran second.

Black Spring, a strong 600 metre winner at Tara Raceway last Sunday, steps up to 732 metres on Sunday for Edenhope trainer Cap Abbott prior to dropping back in distance and taking on the Country Cup.

The son of Spring Gun and Lektra Scarlett has raced only the once over 732 metres at the local track, back in June when he ran city-winning stayer Dyna Quota to 1¼ lengths in a near-record 43.50 seconds.

“I reckon he’s now going as well as he ever has and I liked the way he went to the line over 600 metres last week,” Abbott said. “Who knows, he might even be able to lower Nellie Noodles’ 43.45 second track record.”

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Moorak owner Robert Chuck and Worrolong trainer Steve Bartholomew will be hoping for better luck the second time around when Galactic Titan lines up from box six in the first heat of Thursday night’s SA Derby (515 metres) at Angle Park.

Galactic Titan will fly the flag for Mount Gambier when he contests a heat of the SA Derby at Angle Park on Thursday night.

It’s now been two months since Galactic Titan won a heat of the Champion Puppy classic (515 m) at Angle Park, then drew box one in the final before being scratched due to injury. He hasn’t raced since.

But Chuck, who also bred the son of Paddy Whacker and Galactic Rumball, said this week that the brindle dog had been trialling well at Tara Raceway in readiness for the SA Derby, a race that has been around for almost as long as greyhound racing itself.

“Since his sister Galactic Athena won this year’s Mount Gambier Cup we’ve had very little luck with the litter so we’re hoping things will turn around on Thursday night and he can finish in the first two and qualify for the final,” he said.

Four $5545 heats of the Group 3 classic for dogs whelped on or after June 1, 2017 will be run this week with the $35,000 final on Thursday, September 19.

Take a quick look at the SA Derby and it soon becomes obvious that the event has thrown up its fair share of top line performers, along with some terrific stories – perhaps none better than that of the 1995 winner Top Honcho.

Bred by Allison Potter at Strathalbyn, Top Honcho was by leading sire of the day Head Honcho out of Rainbow High, who raced on six occasions without ever running a place.

Adelaide greyhound Top Honcho who won the 1995 SA Derby before becoming a legend at stud in Ireland.

The black dog was trained by Jeff Wells from his back yard in the Adelaide suburb of Brompton, Top Honcho defeating Mister Crawford in the Derby final in a time of 30.01 seconds over what was then a 512 metre distance.

His last run in Australia was in the following April when he was successful over 319 metres at Strathalbyn, Top Honcho then sold and sent to Ireland where he became a legend at stud.

Prior to his death in 2007, Top Honcho had sired 10,411 pups.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Thursday afternoon time-graded meetings at Tara Raceway continue to attract visiting trainers from far and wide – Clint, Shelley and Harrison Trengove the latest to make the 500 kilometre trip down from Lewiston which is situated north of Adelaide.

The family training team, on the back of a successful year which has included a win in the Port Augusta Cup with Blastoise and the AGRC/Auction final at Angle Park with Stitch ‘Em Cilla, has 12 runners engaged at this week’s meeting.

Formerly of Broken Hill, Clint and Shelley Trengove had been involved with greyhounds for 10 years before deciding to make the move to Lewiston and setting up on a full-time basis on a property that suited their own training requirements.

Once again there has been an abundance of nominations for Thursday’s meeting – 42 greyhounds missing out on a start and begging the question as to whether all races, not just the quadrella legs, could comprise eight starters at time-graded meetings.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

When Chucky Brown found his way down to David Williams’ Mount Gambier kennels in June it was as part of a two-dog package, the black dog, despite having won 12 races at Angle Park, Gawler and Murray Bridge, considered to be the “second string”.

David Williams pictured with Chucky Brown after winning his first race at Tara Raceway last Thursday.

But Chucky Brown has been the first of the pair to win at Tara Raceway, leading all the way in last Thursday’s Fairthorne Forestry Stake (400 m) and defeating Petey Baqui by 3¼ lengths in 23.65 seconds.

The win came on the back of several minor placings over 400 metres at the local track and an unplaced effort at Murray Bridge up the straight, Williams still of the opinion that straight track racing is his go.

“He had no luck at Murray Bridge and later copped 10 days for injury. So at this stage my plans are to give him a couple more runs at Tara Raceway, after he appeared to run out the 400 metres somewhat stronger than at his previous efforts, and then take him back straight track racing.”

Chucky Brown’s win was his trainer’s first since February 17 when Cilla Brown (no relation) had been successful. It was also a real family affair with Williams’ co-owners being his daughter Angela and son Ethan (his first win as an owner), still basking in the glory of a footy grand final win with Portland Under 14s.

Now 3½ years old, Chucky Brown is by Fabregas out of the lightly raced Liza Brown, a winner of one race over 531 metres at Gawler 11 years ago and a daughter of Isa Brown who won 22 races and $172,000 in stakemoney.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Ima Maldini’s all the way win in the Greyhound-Data.com Stake (512 metres) at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting last Thursday kicked off a pretty good day for Coleraine breeder-trainer Sindy Colpoys.

By Dyna Villa, Ima Maldini is out of Mizzy Maldini who won four races for Colpoys at Traralgon, Warrnambool, Ballarat and Warragul and boasts a pedigree that traces back to the prolific Wee Sal line.

Steve Colpoys with Ima Maldini after her third consecutive win at Tara Raceway.

Last Thursday’s win also continued a successful comeback for the April 2016 black bitch, the win her third in succession at Tara Raceway and her fourth since resuming in June from a career-threatening injury.

“She sustained a severe wrist injury last October and to be honest at one stage it looked unlikely that she would race again,” Colpoys said. “But eight months later she resumed racing at Tara Raceway and gave us a great thrill when winning first-up over 400 metres.”

One of a litter of 11, Ima Maldini ended up the only pup not sold, Colpoys and her son Mike Kemp later forming the Rainbows End Syndicate and deciding to race her themselves, the pair so far picking up eight wins.

This is Mizzy Maldini’s second litter, the first, by Fear Zafonic, including Sloan Ranger who won 13 races and $21,000 in stakemoney on Victorian provincial tracks for Colpoys’ husband Steve.

And then, 90 minutes later last Thursday, Ima Maldini’s litter brother Urban Bourbon gained a run as a reserve over 440 metres at Sale for Longford owner-trainer Gary Sciortino.

Last early, Urban Bourbon, despite using plenty of the track, stormed home to score at $40 and wrap up a successful day for Sindy and Steve Colpoys.

As part of the prize for winning the 2017 Summer Classic with Hutch, Portland trainer Robert Halliday received a service to General Destini, a winner of 23 races and $270,000 in stakemoney.

It’s Poppy . . . the first winner for the General Destini x Guru Doll litter.

And Halliday later put the service to good use when breeding a litter out of Guru Doll, a well-bred daughter of Knocka Norris and Flaming Doll and herself a winner at Sandown Park and Angle Park.

Previously, he had enjoyed success with a Guru Doll litter by Cosmic Rumble which had included Brinza, a winner of nine races, along with 14-race winner Odd Boots.

Rotate, a big strapping 35 kilogram blue dog, was the first of the General Destini litter to race, running an impressive second behind Silent Jacko at Tara Raceway’s Sunday meeting on September 1.

Halliday was back again last Thursday with another first starter, this time litter sister It’s Poppy, a nicely conformed 29 kilogram blue bitch that led all the way in the Produce Store Maiden (400 m) to defeat Clyde Jakit, another first starter, in a smart 23.27 seconds.

Speaking after the race, Halliday recalled that It’s Poppy – named by his granddaughter Genna – had done a great job to actually hit the race track as she had broken a leg at a young age.

Later in the day he brought up his fourth double at the track this year when Molly’s Wally led all the way to defeat Bush Blossom by 3½ lengths in a best of day 29.95 seconds in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 m).

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

It’s been something of a rough ride for Coleraine trainer Bob Wombwell and his greyhound Banjo Bonito over the past 18 months.

Wombwell purchased the son of Banjo Boy and proven producer Rustic Reeta back in March last year, won a race with him two months later at Tara Raceway, but after a couple of training setbacks it had been a case of the 36 kilogram dog going into last Sunday’s JB Irrigation Stake (400 m) without a win in 18 months.

Banjo Bonito defeats Oh Spolly (No. 7), Flash Jackie (rails and partly hidden) and Coco Suzy in the JB Irrigation Stake (400 m) at Tara Raceway last Sunday.

The race was also Banjo Bonito’s first in close to three months, his trainer hoping for a turnaround in fortunes but certainly not holding out high hopes for his $12 chance which was jumping from box four.

But the striking looking white and black dog quickly settled into third spot behind Coco Suzy and Oh Spolly before taking a rails run turning for home, finishing the race off well to gain victory in what was a desperately tight finish, over Oh Spolly and Flash Jackie.

Finally, Banjo Bonito’s fortunes had turned around, his win adding to Wombwell’s three earlier in the year at Tara Raceway with Fire Eyes and three at Warrnambool with Coffey Road.

His association with greyhound racing in Mount Gambier goes back close to 40 years and the South East Greyhound Racing Club’s track at Glenburnie where his first winner had been on Saturday, November 8, 1980 with Dynamic Tarmel who won a maiden event over 289 metres.

Bob Wombwell with Banjo Bonito who returned to winning form last Sunday.

“Dynamic Tarmel was by Dynamic Dean out of Silver Tarmel who was actually my foundation brood bitch, the line continuing through to the present day with Fire Eyes (Spring Gun x Coleraine Flame) winning at Tara Raceway,” Wombwell said.

Silver Tarmel was a daughter of the imported sire Hurst Wickham (Maryville Hi x Rocco Lynne), the fastest first-round winner of the 1971 English Derby and later, quite remarkably, one of close to 80 imported greyhounds that stood at stud in Australia during the 1970s.

For all the winners Wombwell has been associated with over the journey, a couple hold special memories for him – Chief Wallaby and Brandini Joe.

“Chief Wallaby was one of my line, being by Chief Dingaan out of Dynamic Crystal, and winning plenty of races including 680 metre events at Warrnambool while Brandini Joe (Tangaloa x Brandini Lass) won a heat of a Ballarat Cup.”

Meanwhile, Banjo Bonito will line up from box one in Sunday’s Winningformula.net.au Stake (400 m) which is the second of four heats of a grade five series – his long-time trainer no doubt hoping that he can continue to make up for lost time.