Highlight of last Sunday’s 11-race program at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway was the running of two heats of the 512 metre Ferness @ Stud Stake, for grades five and six greyhounds.

Winning the first heat was the Tim and Don Richards’ owned She’s A Jumbo who is trained at Meningie by the former. A daughter of Bernardo and Rhonda Lily, she was bred locally by Tracie Price and has now won 11 races from 40 starts.

Chasing her first win over 512 metres at Tara Raceway, she couldn’t have been more impressive after leading all the way from box three and defeating Major Queen by 8¾ lengths in a quick time of 29.39 seconds.

Over a number of years Richards has enjoyed plenty of feature race success at Tara Raceway. More recently, in May, Big Diesel won the Autumn Classic (512 m). She’s A Jumbo, a litter sister, had finished fourth in the $10,000 final.

Richards’ involvement in greyhound racing goes back to April 2016. His first dog was Cosmic Wonder who had last won at Cowra in October 2015. He then won four races with him between June and August 2016.

Interestingly, Cosmic Wonder then raced for a further two years without winning another race, eventually retiring after 133 starts and well over five years of age.

In the second heat of the Ferness, Afterglow Girl was back among the winners for the first time since September last year. But, after settling in second spot, she was faced with a fair task early after Aston Deutz opened up a handy break.

However, the daughter of Cosmic Rumble and My Girl Kizzy finished strongly in the run home when defeating the early leader by three-quarters of a length in 29.90 seconds.

Afterglow Girl is owned and trained at Wangoom by Jackson Bell, who ended up with two finalists after litter sister Naturally Girl ran third in the first heat.

Bred at Warrnambool by Linda Gore, who was on track last Sunday with husband Rob, the littermates were reared by Bell who returned to the sport two years ago prior to an absence of 10 years. Last Sunday was his first winner since returning.

Both heat-winning trainers also boast a strong involvement in football.

Richards, back in 2005, coached Jervois to a record-breaking premiership win over Tailem Bend in the River Murray Football League. And Bell, a linesman with Powercor, has played more than 250 senior games with Warrnambool.

The Ferness @ Stud final this Sunday will also carry a Ferness stud service to the winner. By Fernando Bale out of Princess Kiwi, Ferness was a 15-race winner, which included the 2025 Group 2 Richmond Derby (520 m) and more than $177,000 in prize money.

Among the Ferness @ Stud finalists is Major Queen, by Tommy Shelby out of Princess Kiwi, and a half-sister to Ferness.

Cudgee trainer Gary Hunt, whose last winner at Tara Raceway had been in January with Fozzy’s Boy, was back with a vengeance last Sunday with litter brothers Cheer For Ditto and Where’s Paddy.

Chasing his maiden win at start number nine, Cheer For Ditto settled in second spot behind All I Ask in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (400 m) before finishing strongly in the run home for a 3¼ length win in 23.68 seconds.

Where’s Paddy then brought up his fourth win after taking the lead off the back in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m) and running out a 2¼ length winner over Saint Kylie in 17.72 seconds.

And at Warrnambool the following day, another of the litter in Eye Of Storm was successful for Hunt after finishing strongly to win his maiden over 390 metres.

By Paua Of Buddy out of Mayfair’s Dream, the littermates were bred and are owned by Craig Davis of Melton.

Racing kicked off in fine style last Sunday with the Greg Martlew Autos Mixed Stake over 600 metres. And back at Tara Raceway was Kia Keeping after having a crack at a recent heat of the National Distance Championship in Victoria.

It’s fair to say the Hamilton-based daughter of Fernando Bale and Ruby Keeping probably found the Mixed 3/4/5 Stake more to her liking after leading all the way from box four and eventually running out a 6¼ length winner over Blue Moon Marie in a quick 34.70 seconds.

Kia Keeping is raced by the mother and son team of Lorraine and Kyle Goodwin with the latter looking to mate the March 2023 16-race winner later this year with El Grand Senor.

A son of Where’s Pedro out of Elgrando Gold, the 39 kilogram black dog won 35 of his 43 starts for prize money of more than $500,000 prior to being inducted into the GRV Hall of Fame in April 2008.

The last time visiting trainer Adrien Chevalier had been successful at Tara Raceway was back in early November last year after Weblec Snip had defeated dead-heaters Ocean Amanda and Belair Crown by a head in the Commercial Hotel Stake (400 metres) in 23.19 seconds.

Based at Ettrick, approximately 30 kilometres north-east of Murray Bridge, Chevalier was back in Mount Gambier for the August 9 greyhound meeting. And he found himself in the right place at the right time.

With a current shortage of local maiden greyhounds he actually provided all the runners in the first race, the Federal Hotel Maiden Stake (400 m), with Zipping Keys successful. Certainly nice work if you can get it.

Then, later in the day, he brought up a double after former NSW greyhound Zipping Alonso scored a neck win over Tested in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (400 m) in 23.51 seconds.

Chevalier was back at Tara Raceway for last Thursday’s time-graded fixture. This also happened to be the track’s first preferential box draw meeting which, it has to be said, appeared to pass uneventfully.

He was also among the winners again in the Trackside Pet Meats TG1-4W Stake (305 m) after Noble Rascal led all the way from box one. And Zipping Keys made it a kennel quinella when storming home for a neck second in 18.15 seconds.

Owned by Johnny Watkins, Noble Rascal, a daughter of Stout Monelli and Adele’s Entity – and bred by Chevalier – was having her second race start after winning on debut at Murray Bridge up the straight over 300 metres a week earlier.

He rates Adele’s Entity, a winner of 10 races from 28 starts, as the best greyhound he has been associated with in a 15-year involvement. Her first litter, by Hooked On Scotch, includes WA-based Junk Yard Clyde, a winner of 17 races and more than $127,000 in prize money.

Several races later he well and truly stitched up the Ontrack Insider TG1-4W Stake (400 m) after Zipping Alonso won again, this time settling in second spot before finding the front off the back.

On the line the son of Simply Limelight and Zipping Bronte had three lengths to spare over Billy Bust Up with a further head back to Miss Chapo. And this wrapped up another successful day for Chevalier who this time provided the trifecta.

Enjoying another good day at Tara Raceway were Meningie regulars Tanya Bialek and Tim Richards who shared the spoils with three winners.

Bialek’s Cantara Gypsy, at start number four, led all the way from box seven in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m), when running out a 1½ length winner over Richards’ Black Sabotage in 18.29 seconds.

Both the winner and runner-up are littermates – also by Stout Monelli out of Adele’s Entity – and the first of a litter double prior to Noble Rascal winning a couple of races later.

Bialek trained her second winner when veteran chaser Bulsara, a son of Barcia Bale and Molly Be Nimble, landed his third successive win at Tara Raceway.

Away well from box five, the brindle dog, at start number 134, brought up his 20th win when leading all the way and holding out Major Queen for a half-length win in 17.65 seconds.

And the Richards trained Ricki’s Burner, having only his third run back after a 60-day break, was by far the most emphatic winner of the day when finishing with 9¼ lengths to spare over Crowie Unleashed in 17.66 seconds.

The fawn son of Flying Ricciardo and Gold Burner has now raced on 104 occasions for 19 wins.

Also joining forces for a double with Cadillac Express and Close Shave were Kerry Hawker and Captain Abbott of the Edenhope-based Cadillac Racing Kennels.

After a slow start, Cadillac Express appeared to appreciate his preferential box draw out in the eight when keeping wide before running out a three-quarter length winner over Slippery Gypsy in the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (305 m) in 18.40 seconds.

This was the son of Pindari Express and Another Cadillac’s second win following a maiden success at Tara Raceway back in May.

Close Shave, a son of Razor’s Edge and Grandana Quality, continued on his winning way for Abbott in the Klaassens Contractors TG5+W Stake (400 m) when bringing up his ninth win.

Always on the pace from box seven, the fawn dog finished strongly when defeating Napier Bale by a neck in 23.40 seconds and stringing together four consecutive wins at the Tara Raceway Thursday meetings.

Scoring a good win at Mount Gambier in last Sunday’s main race, the Bernie Burrow at Stud Mixed Stake (512 metres), was Rock It Kathy who is owned by Tracie and Karen Price and trained by the former at Compton.

By Tommy Shelby out of Rock It Barcia, who is clearly Tara Raceway’s leading dam this year with 37 winners, Rock It Kathy settled mid-field while litter sister and kennelmate Compton Ava set the early pace.

But it was Rock It Kathy who finished strongly in the run home when defeating Kerry Hawker’s veteran 102-start chaser Oregon Caldwell by a length with the early leader a further 1¼ lengths back in third spot in a time of 30.04 seconds.

The race also carried a service to the beautifully bred Bernie Burrow, kindly donated to the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) by Nick Cutri.

By Bernardo out of My Gal Penny, one of the highlights of his 48-start career, which included 21 wins, was success in the 2024 time-honoured Group 1 Hobart Thousand.

And summing up the race pretty well on social media was Victorian owner Debbie Musgrove who attends Tara Raceway from time to time. She posted: “Someone will be very happy to have won the Bernie Burrow race. He has the most beautiful pups.”

Rock It Kathy was the second leg of a double for Price who earlier in the day won with Compton To Avoid, a daughter of Bernardo and Rhonda Lily. She defeated her litter sister and kennelmate Compton Lizzie by 1¼ lengths in 22.99 seconds in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Stake (400 m).

Another local trainer to land a double was German Creek-based Kevin Patzel who landed his first Tara Raceway double since December 2024 when Aston Reims and Wario had been successful.

Last Sunday he won with Slippery Gypsy in the Quickmix Concrete Group Maiden Stake (305 m) and He’s A Tycoon in the Sealeys Springworks Stake (512 m).

Slippery Gypsy, a daughter of Aston Rupee and Lachlan’s Miss – and a winner of four races at Geelong, Warrnambool and Bendigo – was having only her second start after a first-up fourth the previous week.

Jumping from box two, the black and white bitch came out running and was never headed, eventually running out a 3½ length winner over first starter My Man Stan in a tidy time of 17.75 seconds.

And according to Patzel, Slippery Gypsy had been a work in progress since being sent down by NSW breeder Alf Davies.

“Actually, I’d been pre-training her for something like four months and while she’s taken a while I was really pleased with her win today,” he said.

A couple of races later Patzel was back among the winners again with He’s A Tycoon who joined his kennels at the end of last month after having won a maiden at Ballarat in May.

By Hooked On Scotch, the white and black dog is out of Christmas Magic, her name coming about after she was whelped on Christmas Day in 2018. She is a litter sister to Nero Valentino who won the 2023 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year award for Kerry Hawker.

Having his first race at the track, He’s A Tycoon settled in second spot down the back behind Compton Baker before finishing the stronger in the run home for a two length win over the early leader in 30.26 seconds.

He was purchased by Patzel , a son of MGGRC life member and 1997 Mount Gambier Cup-winning trainer Ralph Patzel, from Mininera-based Deb Carr after having been advertised at a reasonable price on-line.

“I haven’t had him very long but he did trial well prior to his first race here. However, I believe there’s still plenty of improvement in him,” he said.

And in the Ontrack Insider Stake (305 m), Divine Power strung together his third successive win after settling in second spot behind Noel Perry’s Rough Girl Ruby before finishing strongly for a head win in 17.66 seconds.

The son of Tommy Shelby and Galactic Destiny is trained by Elysia Bartholomew who races Divine Power in partnership with her parents Steve and Lehanne.

“We’re not really sure what we are doing with him yet,” Steve Bartholomew said. “But given that he’s an ideal age for the forthcoming classics hopefully prior to then he’ll be able to show that he’s capable of running over a bit more ground.”

Making amends later in the day for Perry’s earlier narrow defeat was Rough Girl Mel who led all the way in the Pindari Express at Stud Mixed Stake (305 m). She defeated current Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year leader Gus Limes by 1¼ lengths in 17.69 seconds at odds of 100/1.

Bourne Reagan’s win in the Federal Hotel TG1-4W Stake (305 metres) at Tara Raceway last Thursday for Allendale East owner-trainer David Peckham continued the good start for top producer Sweet On Me’s latest litter – by McInerney.

Settling in second spot from box seven, the blue bitch took the lead from Puddin’ Cake turning for home and then held off a fast finishing Cadillac Express – a son of Pindari Express – to win by 1½ lengths in 17.94 seconds.

McInerney, a son of Fernando Bale and Born Ali, won 23 races, including a Million Dollar Chase, for prize money of more than $1.27 million prior to being mated with three bitches in Australia. He was then sold in late 2023 to Ireland where he now stands at FKK Sires.

All told, Bourne Reagan has now won two races and run four placings from nine starts at Tara Raceway. Meanwhile, three littermates in Victoria – Petali, Rich Gairn and Sweet As Kelly – have all opened their winning accounts at The Meadows and Geelong.

And speaking at Tara Raceway last week, Peckham said Bourne Reagan’s Group 1 winning half-sister Bourne Model (by Feral Franky) was soon to be mated with Bernardo, a son of US sire KC And All and Surfonic.

Meanwhile, Meningie Thursday regulars at Tara Raceway in Tanya Bialek and Tim Richards enjoyed another good day at the track after collectively landing a treble with Ritza Wotton, Cantara Pearl and Bulsara.

The Richards trained Ritza Wotton, owned by Bialek and Mark Dwyer, had strung together three consecutive 512 metre wins at the local track prior to dead-heating for second at the previous meeting behind Fantastic Ada.

But the son of Fernando Bale and Ritza Gloria found winning form again – albeit by a half head – when leading all the way from box one and defeating a fast finishing Just Johnnie in 30.10 seconds in the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake.

Cantara Pearl, a daughter of Feral Franky and Perseverance, finally broke through for her ninth win from 96 starts for Bialek on the back of five consecutive second placings at Tara Raceway.

Jumping from box eight in the Ontrack Insider TG5+W Stake (305 m), Cantara Pearl chased Cadillac Girl into the home straight before holding out Rocket Susie for a length win in 18.08 seconds.

In the following race, the Produce Store TG5+W Stake (305 m), for the second consecutive week it was Bialek’s Bulsara who finished strongly in the run home when defeating the Richards trained Jazzy Boo.

The Greyhoundtips.com.au TG1-4W Stake Fast Forward final carried a handy $1065 to the winner. And it was leading trainer Tracie Price who brought up a treble on the day after Compton Zirconia defeated Appellant and Linda Lou in the final.

Always on the pace, the son of Smart Knocka and 2021 Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup winner Tandiki finished over the top of Appellant in the run home to win by three-quarters of a length in 23.38 seconds.

Earlier in the day Price had been successful with Cinta’s Gold in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m) in 17.75 seconds and Compton Stella in the Trackside Pet Meats TG5+W Stake (400 m) in a time of 23.14 seconds.

Another Thursday regular – Berringa-based Michael Niele – once again was successful with one of the Feral Franky x Darryl’s Dream litter. This time it was with Speechless in the Icon Signs TG1-4W Stake (305 m).

Well back early from box one, the brindle bitch finished strongly in the run home for a head win over Scott Blacksell’s Mocambora Jack in 17.98 seconds.

Interestingly, at the previous week’s time-graded meeting, Slovakia, a litter sister to Speechless and also trained by Niele, had defeated Blacksell’s Mocambora Mitch – a litter brother to Mocambora Jack – also by a head.

And Victoria has announced a Mount Gambier time standard which will apply to Tier 3 meetings run at specific tracks such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Healesville, Sale, Shepparton, Traralgon and Warragul. The times are 305 m 17.99, 400 m 23.63, 512 m 30.35, 600 m 35.87 and 732 m 44.80.

Also, the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s first Preferential Box Draw (PBD) meeting will be conducted at Tara Raceway on Thursday, August 13.

All greyhounds nominated (including maidens) will be placed in a PBD event. There will be no reserves. The second PBD meeting for the month will be run on Thursday, August 27.

It was back in 2021 that the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club members first commenced their tipping competition, a concept introduced by race day regular Kevin Douglas.

This had been with a view to supporting local charities through the donations of the Tara Tipsters who continue to contribute at the twice-weekly race meetings at Tara Raceway.

And on track last Sunday to receive a donation from the tipsters, following the running of the Tara Tipsters Mixed Stake (512 metres), were Mount Gambier Breast Cancer Awareness Group representatives Jill Gilmore, Di Norman and Loraine Baron.

The Breast Cancer Awareness Group provides comfort, care and financial support to local breast cancer sufferers through their Helping Hand Bag initiative.

The race itself looked to be an interesting eight-dog affair, especially with the inclusion of Paw Danny, a son of Allen Deed and Enicka Bale, who was having his first run at the local track for Kinglake West trainer Grant Hammerstein.

Away well from box five, Paw Danny took the lead going out of the first turn and from then on was never headed, eventually running out a 4¾ length winner over the Tracie Price trained pair of Chuck A Party and Jetson in a more than tidy time of 29.44 seconds.

The win was the first at Tara Raceway for Hammerstein who had picked up the black dog as a giveaway prior to racing from Victorian trainer Michael Gibbons.

And Paw Danny has done pretty well for him, successful on debut at Shepparton last September prior to winning a further eight races which includes Sandown Park and The Meadows.

“He’s the only one I have racing at the moment,” Hammerstein said. “But I also have six retired greyhounds. And I’ve become so attached to them that they have become family pets.”

Meanwhile, a couple of races earlier, Hammerstein’s nephew, Paul Hammerstein of Horsham, kicked off a successful day for the family after Exactly Like Dad led all the way in the Federal Hotel Stake (400 m) for a 2½ length win over Platoon in 22.82 seconds.

Purchased as a pup, the daughter of Aussie Infrared and Quena Dee Air has now won five races from seven starts. She is a litter sister to Rose’s Marie who won her maiden at Tara Raceway last month and ran third at Warrnambool over 390 metres on Monday afternoon.

On a day of big wins, Rosalyn Hume and Geoff Collins’ Cinematic, by Aston Rupee out of 31-race winner Cosmic Blend, led the way with a 10¼ length win over Integrator in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m). In third spot was Lektra Lee in a quick time of 17.31 seconds.

Fastest 305 metre time of the day was recorded by maiden greyhound Pineview Disco in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Maiden/One Win Stake. He led all the way from box two when defeating another of the Hume-Collins team in Carpark Babe.

Owned by former jockey Louise Cooper, and trained at Compton by Tracie Price, the son of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia scored by 3¾ lengths in 17.27 seconds – only a length outside the track record.

The win was the first of four for Price who took his local tally of wins this year to 125 after Huntsman, Compton Ava and Rocklea Earle wrapped up another successful day for the leading trainer.

Impressing at her first start over 600 metres was One Feather in the Carlin & Gazzard Stake. The daughter of Fernando Bale and Dynamite Miss took the lead down the back straight from Oregon Caldwell before running out a 7¾ length winner over Blue Moon Marie in a quick 34.93 seconds.

The white and black bitch, bred, owned and trained by Gary Lane of Bushfield, boasts an impressive staying line, tracing back to Malfoy, a 732 metre Tara Raceway winner, along with multiple 642 metre wins at Cannington in WA.

And back even further to Al Fresco, a city-winning stayer at Wentworth Park, Sandown Park and The Meadows.

Princetown owner-trainer April Janssen was back with a vengeance last Sunday with Swift Gift who had been chasing her first win since the end of March at Tara Raceway.

Lining up from box seven in the Ontrack Insider Open Stake (400 m), the daughter of Aston Rupee and Mepunga Bella led all the way, running out a 6¼ length winner over Compton Copy in 22.78 seconds.

Another of the giveaway greyhound variety, Swift Gift has won 12 races for Janssen. She now has her sights set on next month’s SA Country Cup (512 m), a maximum of two heats being run at Tara Raceway on Sunday, September 27.

The $10,000 G-Six SA Country Cup final will be run at Angle Park on Adelaide Cup night on Friday, October 9.