Last Sunday afternoon’s Mount Gambier greyhound meeting at Tara Raceway certainly continued the winning runs for Minnie’s My Mum and her Compton-based trainer Tracie Price.

The daughter of Beast Unleashed and Minnie Banjo had been contesting the second running of the Labour Day Cup (512 metres), won last year by Swift Gift.

And she never looked like losing after quickly taking up the running from box five before eventually running out a 1¼ length winner over Belair Betty in a time of 29.63 seconds.

For Minnie’s My Mum, the win had been her fourth in succession. It came on the back of a win up the 300 metre straight at Murray Bridge followed by 305 metre and 400 metre victories at Tara Raceway.

All told, the black bitch, whose dam Minnie Banjo jointly holds the Mount Gambier 400 metre track record in a time of 22.42 seconds, has now won 22 races in her 69-start career.

Price, SA’s leading trainer, kicked off his five-win haul with an all the way 5¼ length win by Huntsman in the first, the Williams Crane Hire Open Stake (400 m).

The son of Koblenz and Maddison Kaye won in a personal best time of 22.60 seconds when defeating Compton Copy and bringing up his 26th win.

Price wrapped up the day with a win in the last, the Icon Signs Stake (400 m), with Statue Of Time who defeated Dimora Bluey by a length in 22.99 seconds.

Better known as a stayer, Statue Of Time, a son of Aston Fastnet and Pretty Much, obviously appreciated a freshen-up when storming home for a length win.

And in between there had been a couple of other winners – Rocklea Earle and Compton Ava. Price’s winning tally at Tara Raceway this year is now 165 winners.

Meanwhile, training his first winner at Tara Raceway since Rocky Ray in early April was Toolong-based Phil Lenehan with Lektra Harmony in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Stake (400 m).

Away well from box six, the black bitch never looked like being beaten when leading all the way for a 2¼ length win over Bali Unleashed in a tidy 23.02 seconds.

By Shima Shine, Lektra Harmony is out of Lektra Tinsel, a winner of 15 races, eight of those at Tara Raceway over distances of 512 metres and 600 metres.

Last Sunday’s win followed a Sandown Park win for Lenehan on the Wednesday night prior with Lektra Beta who won the Spring Classic (512 m) at Tara Raceway last November.

A quick back-up obviously didn’t cause Lenny Limes, trained at Allendale East by David Peckham, too many problems in the Federal Hotel Mixed Stake (305 m).

Always on the pace from box seven, the son Aston Rupee and Elle Limes found the front turning for home before running out a 2½ length winner over Compton Gold in 17.54 seconds.

Three nights earlier, Lenny Limes made the long trip to Angle Park where the Kevin Bouchier-owned black dog had run fourth over 342 metres.

And with Blue Moon Marie off the scene this week at Tara Raceway, it was time for litter brother Big Boy Jett to step up again for Koroit trainer Peter Keane and local owners Noel Miller and Peter Lamond.

A member of the successful Blue Moon Rising x Galactic Athena litter, Big Boy Jett settled in second spot behind Aston Sushi in the Ontrack Insider Mixed Stake (600 m).

But in the run home he finished the stronger when defeating Aston Sushi by a length in 35.07 seconds. Finishing in third spot was Big Boy Jett’s litter brother Just Johnnie.

A couple of greyhounds to open their winning accounts at Tara Raceway last Sunday were Rapid Shadow and Toffee War.

Trained at Macarthur by Rob Jehu, Rapid Shadow went into the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m) having won her maiden at Warrnambool back in May over 390 metres.

Lining up from box five, the daughter of Jungle Deuce and Brookie’s Way led all the way for a 1½ length win over Legacy To Burn in a smart 17.52 seconds.

Later in the day, Toffee War, trained at German Creek by Kevin Patzel for NSW breeder-owner Alf Davies, won at his first Tara Raceway start.

Away well from box six in the Collins Court Butcher Stake (400 m), Toffee War, a son of Aston Rupee and Lachlan’s Miss, led all the way for a neck win over Ready To Burn in 23.21 seconds.

When it comes to the training and breeding of greyhounds in South Australia, Compton-based Tracie Price leads the way.

The latest figures for this year released by Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) have Price as the leading TAB Trainer with 193 winners and the leading SA Breeder with 220 winners.

And sharing the leading SA Brood Bitch statistics are Price’s Rhonda Lily and Rock It Barcia with 55 winners each.

A three-state winner, Rhonda Lily had whelped her first litter of nine, by Bernardo, at the end of May 2024. But Rock It Barcia had struggled somewhat with her 13 pups by Tommy Shelby which had followed soon after.

Fortunately, though, Rhonda Lily managed to save the day after stepping in and helping out with the feeding of Rock It Barcia’s litter.

Rhonda Lily, a daughter of Banjo Boy and Paua To Avoid, raced on 101 occasions for 19 wins and 41 minor placings. In April this year she whelped a second litter – four dogs and four bitches by Feral Franky.

And at last Friday’s Murray Bridge meeting, the Price-trained Rock It Roger, a son of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia, scored a seven length win over 395 metres in 22.62 seconds.

With 161 winners this year at Tara Raceway meetings, he holds a commanding lead on the leading trainers’ list and will win his fifth consecutive local title this year.

Earlier in the day, Penola trainer Stuart Sharam was successful up the straight over 300 metres with Head For Home who scored a 3½ length win in 16.60 seconds.

Meanwhile, at last Thursday’s Tara Raceway time-graded meeting, Trading Halt and Rough Girl Ruby ran the quinella in the Greyhoundtips.com.au TG5+W Stake (305 metres) for OB Flat owner-trainer Noel Perry.

Both greyhounds had been lining up for their 50th starts and it was Trading Halt who led all the way from box eight. Rough Girl Ruby chased the leader throughout for a 2½ length second placing in 17.55 seconds.

By Aston Dee Bee out of Cleo’s Neo, Trading Halt’s win was her seventh at the track and Perry’s 19th for the year at Tara Raceway.

German Creek trainer Kevin Patzel, who collected a $50 meat voucher last month after Ivory Pygmy had won the Collins Court Butcher Stake, picked up another one at last week’s meeting.

This time it was with He’s A Tycoon, the son of Hooked On Scotch and Christmas Magic chasing Linda Lou for much of the journey before finishing the stronger for a three-quarter length win in 23.23 seconds.

A Collins Court Butcher Stake is run at the weekly Thursday meetings with connections of the winner receiving a $50 meat voucher donated by Collins Court Butcher, 174 Jubilee Highway West, Mount Gambier.

And in what was a real family affair, litter brothers and kennelmates, Trackman Tim and Brian, fought out the finish of the Cadillac Racing TG1-4W Stake (305 m) for Elysia Bartholomew and her father Steve.

By Tommy Shelby out of Galactic Destiny, Trackman Tim led all the way, holding on to win by a nose in 17.65 seconds.

Participants and followers of local greyhound racing should keep in mind that there will be no racing at Tara Raceway on Thursday, October 22 or trials on the previous day, due to track renovations. Racing will recommence on Sunday, October 25.

However, November will be a big month for local greyhound racing with heats and final of the Trackside Pet Meats Spring Classic to be run on Sunday, November 1 and 8

For greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, two years prior, last year’s $10,000 classic over 512 metres was dominated by the Phil Lenehan-trained Lektra Beta, Lektra Solo and Lektra Unhinged who filled the placings.

Following on from the Spring Classic will be the time-honoured Newman McDonnell Memorial which last year celebrated its 40th anniversary.

The winner was the pint-sized Littlefoot, owned by sisters Deb Hicks and Elysia Bartholomew. And, perhaps fittingly, the daughter of Blue Moon Rising and Galactic Athena had been handled on the day by the girls’ father Steve Bartholomew.

He had also handled Newman McDonnell’s Tara Topar way back in 1981 when the black dog won the first Mount Gambier Cup conducted out at the Glenburnie racecourse.

For Compton-based trainer Tracie Price it was a case of dominating last Sunday’s 12-race meeting at Tara Raceway after ending the day with six winners.

Among his wins were the two $5000 heats of the Mount Gambier division of the SA Country Cup (512 metres) with littermates Jetson and Compton Lizzie who are by Bernardo out of Rhonda Lily.

In the first heat Jetson quickly worked into second spot from his box eight draw after Moonlight Nellie had taken the early lead from box seven.

And in the run home Jetson finished strongly for a length win in 29.84 seconds over April Janssen’s Princetown-trained Swift Gift who was doing her best work at the finish.

In the second heat Compton Lizzie took up the running going out of the first turn and was never headed. On the line she had 2½ lengths to spare over Hamilton trainer Kyle Goodwin’s Kia Keeping in 29.57 seconds.

Once again, the Adelaide Cup, run at Angle Park on Friday, October 9, will be complemented by the $10,000 SA Country Cup final (530 metres). Mount Gambier, Gawler and Murray Bridge will each have two representatives.

Representing Murray Bridge will be Terrific Nero and Daintree Sniper while Gawler’s two representatives are Boom Boom Jack and Bandit Blaze.

However, representation these days is a far cry from when greyhound racing clubs at Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Kulpara, Barmera, Strathalbyn and Mount Gambier were all involved in the SA Country Cup.

In 1995, when greyhound racing was still being conducted out at the Glenburnie racecourse, the SA Country Cup final was run at Gawler. Representing Mount Gambier and winning the final was Nickelman, trained at Naracoorte by David Lewis.

And in 2008, Tickets Please, trained at Portland by Robert Halliday, also successfully represented Mount Gambier in the final at Gawler.

However, the subsequent closure of the Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Pirie, Kulpara and Barmera greyhound clubs appeared to have put paid to the SA Country Cup.

But in 2013 the Country Cup was re-introduced at Gawler and took in the greyhound clubs still operational which also included Strathalbyn, Mount Gambier and Port Augusta.

Moorak Hope, bred and trained by Price for Moorak owner Allan Holmes, was the winner for Mount Gambier in the first of the re-vamped Country Cups. Then in 2016, Portland trainer Nicole Stanley followed up for Mount Gambier at Strathalbyn with Berry Bling.

Back then, the SA Country Cup final was shared between Gawler and Strathalbyn and coincided with their cup nights. However, in 2017 the event was switched to Angle Park and run in conjunction with the Adelaide Cup.

Following the closure of Chinnery Park at Port Augusta, there are now three clubs – Mount Gambier, Gawler and Murray Bridge – involved in the running of the six-dog Country Cup final.

And Mount Gambier’s most recent winner was He’s All Purpose back in 2021 for Meningie owner-trainer Tim Richards.

Price’s other four winners at Tara Raceway last Sunday were Huntsman, Compton Stella, Rock It Roger and Minnie’s My Mum. His six winners took his overall tally this year at Tara Raceway to 160.

Meanwhile, back at Tara Raceway last Sunday to help out Nullawarre North trainer Trevor Steel with his team of “Belair” dogs was the effervescent and recently-turned 16-year-old Tessa Byrne of Koroit.

Byrne, who boxed her first winner, Shaker Striker, at Tara Raceway early last year as a 14-year-old, was back among the winners with Belair Laurel in the Ontrack Insider Mixed Stake (512 m).

Drawn out in box seven, the daughter of Kinloch Brae and George’s Fancy ran a terrific race when running down Duran Nirvana in the shadows of the post for a head win in a personal best time of 29.67 seconds.

For Byrne, it has been a case of growing up with greyhounds given her father, Peter, is a long-time educator and trainer of greyhounds.

Still at school, the young Byrne now aspires to becoming a veterinary nurse and, of course, a greyhound trainer.

And Blue Moon Marie, after three terrific efforts over the 732 metre journey for two wins and a second placing, broke through for her first 600 metre win at Tara Raceway.

On the back of five second placings from six starts over the middle distance journey, the daughter of Blue Moon Rising and Galactic Athena led all the way from box two for a 3¾ length win over Aston Sushi in a quick 34.83 seconds.

Purchased as a pup by the locally-based owners Noel Miller and Peter Lamond, Blue Moon Marie is trained at Koroit by Peter Keane.