The Sims Family Memorial, a maiden event run over 512 metres, once again attracted a large gathering of the Sims clan to witness the running of the time-honoured event at Tara Raceway last Sunday.

The Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s first life member, Col Sims, ably assisted by his wife Val, enjoyed great success at coursing and later turned his hand to mechanical lure racing when it was introduced in Mount Gambier in 1979.

He won the Mount Gambier Cup run at Glenburnie in 1996 with the front-running Colin Ian. He also won the first Anniversary Cup conducted at the Lake Terrace East venue in 1997 with Becker McLaren.

And for sure, Col and Val would have been suitably impressed with the almost-completed clubroom upgrade which greeted the Sims family and friends last weekend.

But still holding pride of place at the front of the clubrooms is the row of wooden bench seats – painted in starting box colours and built and donated by the Sims’ son Ian, also a life member, who died in 2019.

The Sims Feature Maiden had been run in various formats over a number of years. But it was first conducted as a memorial event in 2013 when won by the Cap Abbott trained Arbour Darby in 30.71 seconds.

Benara Cosmic was successful the following year for local trainer Tracie Price who followed up again in 2020 with Rocketline and then in 2021 with Compton Brett.

That was the year the feature maiden became known as the Sims Family Memorial and when Compton Brett, a $34 chance, caused a real boilover by defeating kennelmate Compton Pete.

One of Col Sims’ old sparring partners had been Portland-based Robert Halliday who had often expressed a desire to win this particular race. And with Way Cool jumping from box eight as a short-priced favourite maybe 2025 could be his year.

But it was the Price part-owned and trained Mr. Tangelo – having his second start on the back of a first-up third at the end of last year – who led all the way, holding out Way Cool in the home straight for a head win in 30.65 seconds.

By Irish sire Magical Bale, Mr. Tangelo is out of Tangelo Fire, an 11-race winner – two of those wins at Mount Gambier over 512 metres when being trained by Price at the latter end of her racing career.

Price reared three of the litter which also includes another maiden winner in Indie Or Jill. Tangelo Fire has since whelped a litter of five dogs and four bitches by Tommy Shelby.

Price’s wife Karen, also part-owner of the winner, accepted the trophy on behalf of the family and thanked the Sims family for their long and valued support of the race. She also gratefully acknowledged the support of their team of helpers at the kennels and on race days.

Meanwhile, two heats of the Federal 600 (600 m) complemented the Sims Memorial. And in what will be the racing highlight, eight runners will now contest the $6000 final at Tara Raceway’s Sunday afternoon Family Fun in the Sun day.

In the first heat, box one runner Aston Hornet, a $1.30 favourite, certainly looked the one to beat on the back of a couple sub-35 seconds 600 metre wins.

And while he found the front early, it was track specialist Top Cadillac who powered to the front going into the back straight and from then on he was never headed when defeating the early leader by a length in 35.11 seconds.

Owned and trained at Edenhope by Cap Abbott, the son of Feral Franky and Establish boasts an outstanding record at Tara Raceway over the 600 metre journey – 12 starts for nine wins and three minor placings.

Tappet, who went into the second heat as a $1.22 favourite, settled in second spot early before finding the front down the back. But it was on-pacer Sweet Secret who finished strongly in the home straight for a two length win in 35.02 seconds.

A winner of 10 races, all at Tara Raceway, Sweet Secret is a daughter of SH Avatar and Zipping Tatum and is owned and trained at Southern Cross by Ray Mahony, involved in the sport for more than 50 years.

Through to the final are Top Cadillac, Aston Hornet, Princetown Flyer, Wild Milly, Sweet Secret, Tappet, Sher Zany and Windsor Girl (not in box order).

Oregon Caldwell, out of the winner’s list for 12 months, was certainly the story of the day for Moorak trainer Jason Newman at last Thursday’s Tara Raceway time-graded meeting.

Having his fourth Mount Gambier start – in the Gordon Refrigeration TG1-4W Stake (512 metres) –the white and brindle dog had won four races from 42 starts and looked pretty well placed at this meeting given he had won more than $31,000 in prize money.

And after taking up the running moving into the back straight, Oregon Caldwell never looked in any danger of defeat when scoring a 5½ length win over Vista Vanadium in 30.13 seconds.

But according to Newman, the story leading up to the dog’s first win in 12 months had been quite remarkable.

“From July through to October last year he was in Adelaide and didn’t race at all. Then he spent a month back in Victoria where he raced on only the one occasion.

“After that Oregon Caldwell had been de-sexed in readiness for Greyhounds As Pets (GAP). And it didn’t take long for him to be rehomed. But just as quickly he was returned and owner, Adelaide electrician Declan Williams, contacted me to see if I would be interested in having a go with him.

“Of course that then meant he had to be unretired in order to race again. But a 23.40 seconds 400 metre satisfactory trial at Tara Raceway paved the way for him to return to racing at the end of December.”

By US sire Need My Moneynow, Oregon Caldwell is out of La La Oregon, a winner of three races over 525 metres at The Meadows.

And Newman brought up a double with another interesting greyhound in the form of Turning Oak, winner of the final race, the Todd’s Photographics 5+W Stake (400 m).

Raced by the Lain Beckett-managed Yeah Nah Syndicate, the daughter of My Redeemer and Skywise led all the way when defeating Forgotten Fury by four lengths in 23.36 seconds. This brought up her seventh win.

But according to Newman it certainly hadn’t been all plain sailing with the July 2022 black bitch.

“Her biggest problem was that she had been a real tail-wagger which besides impacting on her race starts had also made a real mess of the tail,” he said.

“Eventually we had part of the tail surgically removed. And among other things this resulted in her box manners improving considerably to the extent that she has actually won a further six races since the part-tail removal.”

Newman said he also attributed an improvement in Turning Oak’s box manners to a change in race day handlers with Millicent-based Dave Green now having taken over.

Newman’s partner, Melissa Freitag, was also among the winners last Thursday with the enigmatic Mysterious Minds who had been chasing his second win after a maiden success at the track back in October.

By Mepunga Cruzer out of Big Brebler, the black dog led all the way from box two in the Da’Leni Meats TG1-4W Stake (400 m) when running out a three length winner over Detorri Fury in 23.36 seconds.

Mysterious Minds is owned at Dennington by Dustin Drew who back in August last year had contacted Newman in regard to giving the dog a go at Mount Gambier.

“Dustin reckoned Mount Gambier was the only track Mysterious Minds went at and asked me if we would be prepared to give him a go here,” Newman said.

“Well, he’s now won a couple of races here so we’ll keep persevering for a bit longer and see how things work out with him.”

Meanwhile, Langhorne Creek trainer Tony Hinrichsen was back at Tara Raceway last week with Jukebox Duke who celebrated his 19th win at start number 100.

Contesting the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake (512 m), he chased Bourne Franky into the home straight where he took a rails run and grabbed victory in the shadows of the post in 30.18 seconds.

Jukebox Duke won his maiden at Tara Raceway at his fifth race start back in July 2023 at 17 months of age. His record at the local track now stands at five wins and a second from seven starts.

The black dog, a son of Zipping Garth and Mercedes Monelli – a winner of seven races at Cannington, Angle Park and Murray Bridge – is owned by Mypolonga farmer Brad Frahn.

He purchased Jukebox Duke at four months of age from Lewiston breeder Rob Harnas and subsequently reared and then later broke him in.