Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club

Tara Raceway, Lake Terrace East, Mount Gambier, SA

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‘Working holiday’ pays dividends

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Training team Luke Harris and Tammy Kennedy-Harris, based 50 kilometres the other side of Melbourne at Somerville, have recently taken the opportunity to race a few greyhounds at Warrnambool and Mount Gambier while catching up with family at Casterton.

Billie-Rose 5, Roxy 10 and Nikita 11 pictured with Maderra (No. 2) and Disco Lemonade after running the quinella at Tara Raceway last Sunday for Luke Harris and Tammy Kennedy-Harris.

It had been 3½ years since they were last here and close to four years ago that they had been successful at the local track with Yazz, a winner of five races from 102 starts, four of the wins in impressive style at Tara Raceway.

The couple had seven dogs engaged last Sunday but were running out of races by the time Good Odds Ava, Maderra and Disco Lemonade lined up in race 10, the Winningformula.net.au Stake (400 metres).

Luke Harris, Tammy Kennedy-Harris and family pictured at Tara Raceway in 2014 with Yazz.

Having her first start for Harris, Maderra, a member of the handy Spring Gun x Taradearra litter, went into the grade five event as a winner of 10 races and quickly rounded up early leader Good Odds Ava before holding out her fast finishing other kennelmate Disco Lemonade to win by 1¼ lengths in 23.68 seconds.

With eight dogs in work, the win wrapped up a pretty good year for Harris, a truck driver, and Kennedy-Harris, who trained something like 30 winners on Victorian tracks during 2018.

And 2019 also started off well for them. Maderra and Disco Lemonade clashed again on Tuesday over 390 metres at Warrnambool, both greyhounds working home well to ultimately run their second quinella in the space of two days.


Feature maiden a January highlight

Thursday, January 3, 2019

The Val and Col Sims Memorial Maiden will once again be one of the highlights of racing at Tara Raceway this month – heats of the 512 metre event run on Sunday, January 13 and the final a week later.

However, trainers should keep in mind that if insufficient nominations are received to run at least two heats then a one-off final will be conducted on Sunday, January 20 with preference given to original nominators.

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

David Jones and 2015 Val and Col Sims Memorial Maiden winner Andy Jay pictured with members of the Sims family.

Subsequent winners have been Benara Cosmic (Tracie Price) 30.33 seconds, Andy Jay (Toni Jones) 30.31 seconds, Rowchester Star (Nicole Stanley) 30.60 seconds and in 2017 McIvor Neville (Peter Franklin) 30.64 seconds.

In last year’s memorial, Paul Herry’s Got Some Cheek gave the popular Mortlake trainer his first feature win when defeating fellow Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley’s Bomber Creek by a head in 30.52 seconds.

The Sims name is synonymous with greyhound coursing and track racing in the South East – Col Sims, ably assisted by his wife Val, enjoying great success at coursing and having no trouble in turning his hand to mechanical lure racing when it was introduced in Mount Gambier in 1979.

He was on the South East Greyhound Racing Club committee when racing commenced at Glenburnie and in 1978 was the first to be awarded life membership of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing and Coursing Club Inc.

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

Nominations for the 2019 Val and Col Sims Memorial Maiden will close at 9 a.m. (SA time) on Tuesday, January 8 with Greyhound Racing SA.

Meanwhile, the 2019 racing season kicks off on Sunday at Tara Raceway with the main race, the New Year’s Gift (512 m), attracting an interesting line-up, including 2018 Greyhound of the Year Paraphernalia who has drawn box one.

The race also includes 2017 Christmas Cup winner Hit The Runway who hasn’t raced since September, along with last start 512 metre 29.81 seconds winner Usain Insane and 2018 Christmas Cup placegetter Springvale Alysa who is racing at Angle Park tonight.

And there will be plenty of interest in the Greg Martlew Autos Free For All (400 m) with Cryer’s Harper attempting to win her fifth consecutive short-course race at Tara Raceway.


Giveaway greyhounds find form at T/G meeting

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Mumbannar trainer Monty Wilson once again achieved his self-set goal of averaging a win a month with his team of giveaway greyhounds when Moraine Pippa was successful in last Sunday’s Winmore Greyhound Kennels Maiden Stake (400 metres) at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting.

Jen and Monty Wilson with Moraine Pippa after her first-up maiden win in the Winmore Greyhound Kennels Stake (400 m) at Tara Raceway on Sunday.

In fact, after a slow start which saw Wilson failing to open his winning account until April, Moraine Pippa’s success at Mount Gambier’s final meeting of the year took her trainer’s tally to 14 wins for 2018.

Having her first race start on the back of some impressive Tara Raceway trials, the black bitch, which is raced by Wilson’s wife Jen, did the job well when taking over down the back and then running away to a seven length win in 23.50 seconds.

And according to Wilson, who races only giveaway greyhounds, Moraine Pippa could be the one that has slipped under the radar.

“Obviously when you work with only giveaways there are going to be plenty that don’t win a race,” he said. “But I reckon this little girl could be the one that we have been looking for.

“We got her back in October after she had been broken-in and then finished down the line at the Warrnambool picnic meeting.

“However, since then she had trialled really well at Tara Raceway, her only downside being that she was a noisy kennel dog, although a change in her daily routine looks to have solved that problem.”

Now, while Wilson is more than happy with Moraine Pippa, he’s the first to admit that the October 2016 whelping is still a fair way off from being ready to take on Tara Raceway’s top greyhounds over 512 metres.

So, with that in mind, it was somewhat surprising to see her drawn in box four up against Paraphernalia and company in Sunday’s New Year’s Gift (512 m) at Tara Raceway after winning only a maiden 400 metre time-graded event at her first start.

“No, there was a mix-up there,” he conceded. “Of course it wasn’t my intention to have her in that race and as a result she won’t be running on Sunday. Mind you, I’m hoping in the not too distant future that she will be taking on that calibre of dog.”

By Dyna Double One, Moraine Pippa is out of Sandown Park winner Mepunga Lana (Premier Fantasy x Mepunga Diva) who later in the day produced another winner in the form of Bella Express, trained at Warrnambool by Stephen Bruce.

Kevin and Raylene Gavin landed their first double at Tara Raceway when Reggie Ryan (No. 4) and Pingin’ Bee were successful on Sunday. Also pictured is the couple’s granddaughter Carisma.

From an October 2014 mating by US sire Bella Infrared, Bella Express led all the way from box seven in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 m), eventually defeating Big Rough by 6½ lengths in a best of day 30.01 seconds to bring up his 19th win at start number 107.

Time-graded meeting supporters Kevin and Raylene Gavin landed their first Tara Raceway double when their giveaways Reggie Ryan and Pingin’ Bee were successful, much to the delight of their 12-year-old granddaughter Carisma who made the trip over with them from Killarney.

Having his second look at the track after joining the kennel a month ago, Reggie Ryan led all the way in the JB Irrigation Stake (400 m), holding out All About Now to win by a head in 23.68 seconds.

And according to Kevin Gavin, there should be further improvement in the November 2016 son of Magic Sprite and eight-race winner Boston Silver – the black dog picked up after being advertised as a giveaway on greyhound internet site Greyhound-Data.

“I think he still needs more time. He’s immature and at the moment just wants to play,” he said. “Also, he probably needs a little more weight off him.”

Pingin’ Bee, who joined the Killarney kennel in October after stints of racing in NSW, Victoria and Adelaide, staged a big effort to win the Greyhound-Data.com Stake (512 m).

Last early from box three, the daughter of Fabregas x Zipping Genie still had plenty of work to do mid-race but railed through off the back before running away to a 2½ length win over Raglan Bindi in 30.46 seconds.

Donna Beasley enjoyed her first trip to Tara Raceway when Able was successful on Sunday for trainer Paul Cusack.

Last Sunday’s double resulted in the long-time husband and wife training team wrapping up the year with eight winners at Tara Raceway with their team of giveaway greyhounds.

Time-graded meeting newcomer Paul Cusack of Mount Cottrell made the trip over with partner and fellow trainer Donna Beasley, this being her first time at Tara Raceway.

And they went home with a winner in the form of Able who, despite using plenty of the track in the home straight, led all the way in the Rock’s Retreat Stake (400 m) to defeat Dare To Do by a length in 23.52 seconds.

Able is by Fabregas out of the nicely bred Magic Castle (Where’s Pedro x Ice Dancer) who when trained at Lewiston by Don Turner won seven races at Angle Park, Gawler and Port Augusta in the space of four months.

Turner also initially trained Able, winning short course races at Strathalbyn and Angle Park before Cusack took over the black dog as a giveaway in June this year.


Price ends year with record high

Monday, December 31, 2018

For Tracie Price, the 2018 leading trainer, the busy year at Tara Raceway ended as it began – a double with Kinky McPhee and Same Scenario all those months ago on January 7 and a litter double on Sunday with Sophie’s Moment and Dimora Flash.

And in between there were 16 doubles, 11 trebles, four winners on six occasions and four days when he trained five winners – all contributing to a record 137 wins, 124 seconds and 102 thirds at the Mount Gambier track.

Karen and Tracie Price with Sophie’s Moment, the first leg of a double for the leading trainer at Tara Raceway’s final meeting for 2018.

Sunday’s double with the litter sisters by Cosmic Rumble out of Stylish Moment was perhaps a fitting way to end his season as the pair is part of an intensive breeding program put in place by Price and his wife Karen.

Stylish Moment, who won the 2014 Winter Classic at Tara Raceway, was one of the forerunners of the current breeding program and earlier this month was mated with Peter Rocket.

Indicative of the influence the Price breed is having on racing at Tara Raceway is that Who’s Doing What, Hey Sexy Lady and Lucy’s Moment all figure in the 2018 Leading Dams’ list.

Sophie’s Moment put in a terrific run in The Border Watch Stake (600 metres), giving kennelmate Cilla Brown a big start down the back before finishing strongly to run her down to win her first middle-distance event.

And Dimora Flash, after a great battle with Midnight Rage in the Gambier Vets Stake (400 m), hung on for a neck win in 23.28 seconds.

For Price, Sunday was the culmination of a big few days. At Warrnambool on Thursday night where he won with Maunganui Magic over 390 metres, then Tara Raceway on Saturday morning for the trials before a five-hour trip to The Meadows at Broadmeadows in Victoria for the meeting that night.

He had Smart Knocka engaged in a semi-final of the Silver Chief classic (525 m), disappointingly out of the race on the first turn after suffering severe interference, Price later saying that the son of Knocka Norris x Who’s Doing What would return to The Meadows this Saturday night.

“At this stage I’m looking to take him back for a grade five event and then leave him in Victoria to be trained by Seona Thompson.”

Smart Knocka has raced only three times at Tara Raceway for a heat and final win in the Peter Rocket Winter Classic (512 m) and later a win in 29.72 seconds over Springvale Alysa.

Dimora Flash defeats Midnight Rage and Bumble Bee Bolto at Tara Raceway on Sunday and gives leading trainer Tracie Price his 137th win for the year.

Away from his home track, he ran a great second in the SA Derby (515 m) at Angle Park although Price was quick to nominate his win in the Adelaide Cup Consolation (515 m) as the highlight of his year.

But from a Tara Raceway point of view, surely the highlight of the leading trainer’s year would have been the runs of Rockoon in mid-June and early July.

Group 1 winners don’t go around the Mount Gambier track too often so when the big white and black son of Peter Rocket x Raya Riot found his way over to the Price’s Compton kennels and duly lined up in a 600 metre mixed stake on June 17 there was a real air of expectancy around the track.

And Rockoon lived up to all the hype, running out an 11 length winner over a fair sort of greyhound in Hit The Runway in a time of 34.86 seconds, only a whisker outside of McIvor Verna’s track record.

He was back on July 1, this time over 512 metres and this time he defeated another fair sort of greyhound in Cryer’s Plugger by 9½ lengths in track record time of 29.28 seconds – a time unlikely to be lowered any time soon.

Rockoon runs a 512 metre Tara Raceway track record of 29.28 seconds on July 1.

The Mount Gambier leading trainer award is now to be known as the Ian Badger Leading Trainer, in recognition of the South East Greyhound Racing Club’s first leading trainer in 1979-80, the trophy now on display in the club’s memorabilia section.

Badger was also on the committee when racing commenced at Glenburnie on Saturday, July 21, 1979. He was club secretary for the following season and president between 1984 and 1986 and again from 1988 to 1990.

In 1996 he was awarded posthumous life membership of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club after having died on March 31, 1995 at the age of 46.

Price was last leading trainer in 2016 with 78 wins, his best performer being Real Moment with 11 wins.

See “Statistics”.


Harper wraps up big month for trainer

Thursday, December 27, 2018

The win of Cryer’s Harper over Maunganui Magic and Ramified in last Friday’s Santa Sprint final (400 metres) at Tara Raceway was the culmination of a big month for Apsley trainer Tom Cryer.

Arguably the most improved greyhound going around the Mount Gambier track at the moment, Cryer’s Harper’s all the way victory in a best of day 23.03 seconds was her fourth successive win this month.

Cryer’s Harper makes it four wins for the month at Tara Raceway.

And it was her trainer’s best month for the year – eight winners – which overall took Cryer’s tally for the year to 34, all but one of those being out of his now-retired brood bitch Cryer’s Midget.

By Australian Cup winner Spud Regis, Cryer’s Harper is from Cryer’s Midget’s third and final litter, this year’s leading local brood bitch’s first two litters both being by Spring Gun and so far producing 135 winners.

Cryer’s Harper, whelped in April 2016, kicked off her career with a couple of 400 metre wins at Tara Raceway in March-April this year before a six-month losing streak had Cryer seriously contemplating retiring her into the Greyhound Adoption Program.

Margaret and Tom Cryer with Cryer’s Harper after her win in last Friday’s Santa Sprint at Tara Raceway.

“To be honest, I’ve no idea where Cryer’s Harper’s turnaround in form at this late stage of the year has come from,” said Margaret Cryer, the trainer’s wife and also the owner of all the “Cryer” dogs.

“But it is nice that one of Cryer’s Midget’s female offspring has finally strung together a few wins. Cryer’s Harper is by far the best bitch she has produced and perhaps the opportunity is now there for the line to carry on.

“Whether we breed any more litters will depend a lot on Tom’s health as he turns 86 next year. However, we do have a couple of 11-month-old brindle dog pups by Spring Gun that we are looking forward to racing.”

The pups, bred at Compton by Tracie Price, are out of Grimsby Girl (Kinloch Brae x Oh Cee Ya), a winner of eight races and a finalist in Mojito Mayhem’s 2016 Mount Gambier Cup.

Meanwhile, the Ken Gillespie trained Faster Bolt, an unplaced favourite behind Cryer’s Harper after copping an early check last Friday, raced at Horsham over 410 metres on Wednesday.

But the son of Milldean Panther and Galactic Rumball went up with the lids at box rise before working home well to finish a one length second to Agent Voilet in 23.56 seconds.


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