The eight heats of the 2026 Group 3 Trackside Pet Meats Mount Gambier Cup (512 metres) conducted at Tara Raceway last Sunday afternoon attracted one of the best crowds seen at Tara Raceway in a long time.

And flying the flag for the locals was Compton-based owner Robert Chuck after Galactic Nemesis led all the way from box six in the fifth heat and defeated Todd Keeping by 2½ lengths in 29.50 seconds.

Trained at Finniss by Lauren Harris since January 2025, the daughter of Blue Moon Rising will be chasing another Mount Gambier feature event after winning the Autumn Classic (512 m) in May last year.

And connections will now be hoping the white and brindle bitch can emulate her dam, Galactic Athena, who defeated Slingshot Hammer in the 2019 Mount Gambier Cup.

As is generally the case, the heats did manage to produce a couple of rough results by way of Swift Gift and Zipping Andora. However, the former did give Princetown owner-trainer April Janssen her biggest thrill in greyhound racing when reaching the final of the $50,000 event.

A $23 chance, the giveaway daughter of Aston Rupee and Mepunga Bella quickly found the front from box four in the second heat and then held out Neo Devere to win by a neck in a personal best time of 29.46 seconds.

And $41 longshot Zipping Andora, after settling in third spot in heat eight behind Galento and Compton Rocks, finished powerfully in the home straight to grab a narrow win in 29.33 seconds – the second fastest time of the day.

A daughter of Zack Monelli and Zipping Miranda, Zipping Andora is trained at Lara by Dallan Klemke who had been racing at Tara Raceway for the first time.

Highlight of the heats was the win of Dashing Jordy, a son of Fernando Bale and Dashing Wilma. Quickly away from box two, he ran out a 6¼ length winner over Intrepidus in the fourth heat in a near-record time of 29.16 seconds.

The 512 metre Tara Raceway record currently stands at 29.15 seconds and is held by Uriel Bale who established the record on April 7, 2024 when trained in Victoria by Rob Camilleri.

Trained at McLaren Vale by Gavin Harris for Team Harris, Dashing Jordy is now a winner of 20 races and prize money of more than $173,000.

Kicking off the cup heats for Lara trainer Danielle Smith was Gorringe, the daughter of Bernardo and Patriot Earhart setting the time standard with a run of 29.47 seconds when defeating Moonlight River by a length.

A recent two-time Sandown Park winner, Gorringe led all the way from box one, and now gives Smith her second group race finalist after having previously reached the final of the Horsham Cup.

Leading local trainer Tracie Price, also looking to figure prominently on cup day, fronts up with a finalist in the form of the strong finishing Statue Of Time, a son of Aston Fastnet and Pretty Much.

Wind Whiskers took up the early running in the third heat but it was Statue Of Time and Belair Crown who fought out the finish, the former winning by 1¼ lengths with a further neck back to the early leader in 29.44 seconds.

Statue Of Time is raced by Justin Tribe, the partner of Kiah Hurley who won the 2024 Mount Gambier Cup with Chapel Road.

Gunning Bandit, who kicked off his career with a couple of wins at Goulburn in the latter part of last year, before relocating to the Lewiston kennels of Cam Forshaw, turned in a big run to win heat six of the cup.

Settling in third spot down the back behind tearaway leader Capybara, Gunning Bandit threw out the challenge turning for home before gaining a head decision in 29.39 seconds.

A January 2024 whelping by Feral Franky out of Coast Model, Gunning Bandit is the youngest finalist. And Forshaw is now looking to add the Mount Gambier Cup to his list of group race achievements after winning the 2024 Murray Bridge Cup with Adhana Rico.

Another Lewiston trainer with a cup finalist is Rob Harnas after Flying Artie led all the way in the seventh heat, holding out Belair Betty for a three-quarter length win in 29.50 seconds.

Bred by long-time participant Harnas, Flying Artie is a son of Koblenz and Dyna Maple and boasts a terrific winning strike rate of 60 per cent after having won 22 races.

Conducting the 2026 Mount Gambier Cup final draw was Greyhound Racing SA Racing Manager Shaun Mathieson who made the trip down on Sunday.

The draw: Box 1 Flying Artie (Rob Harnas), 2 Dashing Jordy (Gavin Harris), 3 Statue Of Time (Tracie Price), 4 Swift Gift (April Janssen), 5 Gunning Bandit (Cameron Forshaw), 6 Zipping Andora (Dallan Klemke), 7 Galactic Nemesis (Lauren Harris), 8 Gorringe (Danielle Smith). Res. 9 Galento (Paul Galea), 10 Capybara (Tracie Price).

As far as the Mount Gambier Cup Calcutta is concerned, generally the last runner auctioned attracts the most interest. In fact, at the 2025 Calcutta it was the eventual cup winner, Aston Gozo, who attracted a record-breaking bid of $1560.

At Saturday night’s Calcutta, which had been conducted at Tara Raceway, the last runner auctioned, Galento, on the back of a recent quick win at the track, did attract the highest bid of $820 but missed out on reaching the final when beaten by a half head in the eighth and final heat.

As it turned out, none of the eight Group A greyhounds made it through to the final although Galento, trained by Paul Galea, is the first reserve.

Two runners from Group B, which was made up of 10 greyhounds, are through to Sunday’s final. Victorian trainer Danielle Smith’s Gorringe attracted a bid of $170 and goes into the final as the highest-priced runner.

Also through to the final from Group B is Dashing Jordy. And given that he was sold for $110 and won his heat in 29.16 seconds he looks to have been a pretty handy pick-up.

Group C provided half of the final field in Zipping Andora, Gunning Bandit, Statue Of Time and Flying Artie who topped that group with a bid of $72.

Group D came up with one finalist – Galactic Nemesis, who was sold for $20. And in Group E, Swift Gift goes into the final after being purchased for $10.

The Calcutta prize money break down is first $3448, second $985 and third $492.

Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club manager, Tim Lewis, said while attendance numbers had been down there had still been plenty of interest in the auction as well as a good crowd at Tara Raceway on the Sunday for the heats.

“Once again, the MGGRC would like to thank MC Graham Gill for his work on the night. We look forward to seeing him back at Tara Raceway for Sunday’s final.

“Many thanks to our long-time auctioneer Chris Manser of Green Triangle Livestock & Real Estate for the effort he continues to put in. And also to his spotter, the colourful John “Slogger” Richardson.

“Also, a big thank you to the IT boys in Dave and Jason. A terrific job that was really appreciated.”