Friday, May 25, 2018

Moorak owner Robert Chuck has been there before. That was back in 2015 when his greyhound Galactic Viper, trained at the time in Victoria by David Geall, won the Group 3 Howard Ashton Classic (515 metres) at Angle Park.

Trainer Steve Bartholomew (left) and owner Robert Chuck pictured with their Howard Ashton finalist Galactic Panther.

Last night, while Geall was at Sandown Park winning the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson final with My Redeemer and picking up a cool $100,000, Worrolong trainer Steve Bartholomew was at Angle Park with the Chuck-owned Galactic Panther, hoping to finish in the first four of a red-hot first semi-final and qualify for next week’s $37,500 Ashton Classic final.

Bred by Chuck, Galactic Panther, a son of Milldean Panther x Galactic Rumball, had previously won the Peter Rocket Summer Classic this year at Tara Raceway and run a terrific third in the Group Listed Mount Gambier Cup.

And while the Panther’s Angle Park runs leading up to last night’s all-important semi-final had been fair enough, this race was another step up in class with Victa Louise at $1.30 obviously expected to win and more than likely repeat the dose in the final.

Steve Bartholomew checks out Galactic Panther’s weight after his semi-final run at Angle Park on Thursday night.

In a race that ultimately threw up some amazing results, the first surprise was Galactic Panther ($23) quickly finding the front from box two and, to be honest, looking the likely winner as he careered away from the bolters Madam Onyx and Minacious.

However, in the home straight, he moved out, the $46 box one runner Madam Onyx taking the short way home for long-time participant Judi Hurley of Two Wells and gaining the verdict by a neck with $100 chance Minacious, trained at Whyalla by Graham Brown, finishing third while Springvale Choix was the fourth qualifier.

For Madam Onyx, despite some recent solid performances, it was a win that really came from nowhere – her first win this year and only her second all-up after a maiden 400 metre win at Gawler in December.

But Bartholomew and the Panther are through to the final, the trainer, involved in the sport since the opening of Glenburnie in 1979, now chasing his biggest win.

And after the second semi-final threw up further surprises, Robert Chuck and Steve Bartholomew, a couple of long-time friends and workmates, find themselves lining up with the locally bred, owned and trained Galactic Panther from box seven in a Group race that all of a sudden appears very winnable.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Kennelmates Cryer’s Plugger and Bekim Lucy’s, who over the past six weeks have been successfully making the trip to Adelaide’s Angle Park where more often than not they have drawn in the same race, will clash again when they return to Tara Raceway on Sunday.

However, Compton trainer Tracie Price said the pair would be back at Angle Park next Thursday night with Cryer’s Plugger definitely set to tackle the Shane McQueen Feature (600 metres) while Bekim Lucy’s could also run in the McQueen or possibly step up to 731 metres.

Cryer’s Plugger returns to Tara Raceway on Sunday for a final hit-out prior to the Shane McQueen Feature at Angle Park.

“I was keen to switch their tracks around a bit and reckon a run behind the finish-on-lure certainly won’t do either of them any harm,” Price said.

Cryer’s Plugger, owned at Apsley by Margaret Cryer, hasn’t beaten Bekim Lucy’s over 600 metres at Tara Raceway this year, running third behind the black bitch on a couple of occasions in February and March.

However, it’s been a different story over the middle-distance at Angle Park where he defeated Willie Vossen and Michael Robinson’s Bekim Lucy’s early in May before scoring an emphatic 5½ length win over her on Monday night.

The win came on the back of a top effort the previous week when Cryer’s Plugger ran the classy High Eden Snow to 1¾ lengths in quick time over 600 metres at the city track and had Price keen to talk up the brindle dog.

“He’s starting to get to know the track now,” he said. “It’s been a long haul travelling to Adelaide on a weekly basis but with every run he seems to be getting better and he’s now out and about.”

John Gale (left) and Peter Franklin with McIvor Neville after his win last Sunday at Tara Raceway.

Sunday’s The Border Watch Open Stake (600 m) has attracted a top field, highlighted by Bekim Lucy’s in box four, Cryer’s Plugger in the eight and Paraphernalia in six.

Trained at Horsham by Jeff Guy, Paraphernalia, a former Tara Raceway 600 metre record holder at 34.97 seconds, led all the way in last Sunday’s Produce Store Open (600 m) to defeat recent 34.90 seconds winner Vectis Seyarda by 2½ lengths.

Meanwhile, current 600 metre record holder McIvor Verna (34.84 seconds), having her second run back after a three-month break, was successful at Bendigo over 660 metres last Friday prior to trainer Peter Franklin venturing over from Moyston on Sunday with litter brother McIvor Neville.

Out of the winner’s list for close to 12 months, McIvor Neville took over off the back and was too strong for Nimble Foot, running out a three length winner in 30.15 seconds in the Klaassens Contractors Stake (512 m).

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Catcher Shane Flink leads back Kolora Posie.

After an impressive Trackside Meats Feature Grade Five heat win last week, Kolora Posie went right on with the job when successful in last Sunday’s 512 metre final for Allendale East trainer Connie Miller.

According to Miller, the daughter of Bekim Bale x Swift Blaze had been perfectly drawn in box eight and the long-time trainer had been spot on in her assessment as Kolora Posie took the lead out wide down the back.

Shane Flink and Connie Miller with Trackside Meats Feature Grade 5 winner Kolora Posie.

And despite using plenty of the track turning for home, the black bitch had enough in hand to defeat Goldie’s Run by 1½ lengths with Big Lebowski, who was always handy, a further three-quarters of length back in third spot in 30.49 seconds.

This was Miller’s second feature win – and her seventh overall – at Tara Raceway this year, Chilly Kiss successful in The Tankman 600 at cup carnival time.

Kevin Jones looks pleased with himself as he leads back Drysdale Creek.

After a quiet start to the year, giveaway greyhound Drysdale Creek has put Mumbannar trainer Monty Wilson back on the map with two consecutive wins at Tara Raceway.

Drysdale Creek made it two wins in a row for Monty Wilson.

Now in the ownership of Jen Wilson, the brindle dog returned to racing last week after a two-month break during which time the husband and wife team worked on a few minor injuries prior to Drysdale Creek opening his winning account over what the trainer described as an unsuitable distance – 400 metres.

Stepping up to 512 metres on Sunday, the son of Cosmic Rumble and former smart middle-distance performer Capella, did the job well in the Williams Crane Hire Stake, overcoming a slow start before holding out Vectis Campinae in the run to the line and giving Wilson his third win for the year.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

There was certainly a Penshurst presence in last Friday’s Greg Martlew Autos Stake (512 metres) at Tara Raceway when Fascinated and Good Yarn, who had travelled over together, clashed in the time-graded event.

Trained by John Cameron (Camo), Fascinated did look well placed and ran accordingly, leading all the way to defeat the John Burow (Buzz) trained Good Yarn by 2½ lengths in 30.34 seconds and give the Penshurst pair the quinella.

John Cameron and Fascinated (right) pictured with Good Yarn and John Burow after the Penshurst pair ran the quinella at last Friday’s Tara Raceway meeting.

By Hutmaker, the winner is out of the former smart bitch Spellbound who won 16 races at Tara Raceway as well as five at Sandown Park and another two at The Meadows.

Cameron purchased her as a pup from Portland breeder Cass Billington and 4½ years and 82 starts later the 24 kilogram black bitch is still racing well, having now won 12 races, including the Fashion D’Or Ladies Bracelet over 600 metres at Tara Raceway’s 2017 Christmas meeting.

Good Yarn, who hasn’t won since scoring over 600 metres at Tara Raceway last September, put in a big run, coming from well back early to finish strongly, prompting racecaller Tim Edwards to declare the run as “massive”.

Burow bred Good Yarn, a daughter of Cosmic Chief and his handy bitch Spin A Yarn who raced on 97 occasions for 13 wins including a Tara Raceway track record run over 400 metres.

Cameron was back at Tara Raceway on Sunday with Fascinated who ran third to McIvor Neville in the Klaassens Contractors Stake (512) while Burow has opted to tackle The Border Watch Stake (512 m) at tomorrow’s time-graded meeting.

And one can only imagine how the trip back to Penshurst on Friday afternoon would have played out. Cameron confirmed the worst.

“Here we were travelling home, Buzz in the passenger seat, frequently quenching his thirst, empty cans rolling around everywhere, and I’m having to put up with him telling me how good his dog is.

“You know, ‘my dog was unlucky, she should have won, the racecaller said it was a massive run’ and so on.

“Actually, by the time we got back to Penshurst he had just about convinced me that Good Yarn had won the race so I did have to gently remind him of the result.”

However, apparently there was nothing really out of the ordinary here. No, it seems it was just another typical Buzz and Camo road trip.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Coleraine trainer Bob Wombwell has been involved with greyhounds for a long time. In fact, take a look at Glenburnie results for meetings as far back as 1980 and his name can be found alongside a maiden 289 metre winner called Dynamic Tarmel.

Bob Wombwell with Banjo Bonito after his impressive win at Tara Raceway last Friday.

Wombwell trained 13 winners at Tara Raceway last year but coming into Friday’s meeting was still chasing his first for 2018 at the local track although he had won at Warrnambool last month with Banjo Boss at the nice odds of $14.

Banjo Boss, a nicely-bred son of Banjo Boy x Rustic Reeta, was purchased along with his brother Banjo Bonito at the end of last year by Wombwell from owner Andrew Varasdi who also owns the sire.

Banjo Bonito, who won his maiden over 512 metres at Tara Raceway back in November, lined up from box two in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (400 m) and appreciated the class drop when turning his form around with an effortless 9¼ length win in 23.51 seconds.

The win, which was Wombwell’s first Tara Raceway success since Outlaw Eddie in early December, continued the trainer’s good run with performed greyhounds that he has purchased.

“I bought the pair for $2000 and they’ve now paid for themselves,” he said. “Previously, I raced another performed dog, the 38 kilogram Fear Helvetia who won eight races at Tara Raceway and Horsham and also paid his way.”

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Locally owned and trained Galactic Panther faces a tough task tomorrow night at Angle Park in the first semi-final of the Group 3 Howard Ashton final (515 m).

Owned by Robert Chuck and trained at Worrolong by Steve Bartholomew, Galactic Panther has drawn box two in a field that includes boom youngster Victa Louise, along with Abuzz, Tal Lee and Springvale Choix.

With two $2515-to-the-winner semi-finals to be decided, the first four from each semi will advance to next week’s $37,500 final.

Bartholomew also has Azumi Spice, an impressive 400 metre winner at Tara Raceway last Sunday, engaged from box six in a grade six over 515 metres.