For Glencoe-based one-dog trainer Edna Fennell it had been seven months since Magic Poppy had last won a race at Tara Raceway.

On that occasion the April 2023 daughter of Feral Franky had defeated Saint Finnie – trained by Fennell’s husband Dean – over 512 metres by 3½ lengths in 30.03 seconds.

Chasing her fourth win from 52 starts at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting, the brindle bitch lined up from box one in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG1-4W Stake (512 m) as a $2 favourite.

And after railing through to take the lead going out of the first turn, Magic Poppy never looked in any danger of defeat. In fact, on the line she had four lengths to spare over last start winner Bomb Rocky in 30.28 seconds.

Magic Poppy’s dam, Perseverance, a daughter of Dyna Double One and Miss Freelove, raced on 74 occasions, 71 of those at Tara Raceway where she won 16 races. Her other three starts were at Angle Park, Gawler and Murray Bridge.

Dean Fennell trained her for her entire racing career prior to Karen Price of Compton breeding the litter which comprised six dogs and three bitches.

Meanwhile, it was another big day for the Hamilton-based Lorraine Goodwin and her son Kyle. In the Todd’s Photographics TG1-4W Stake (305 m), Major Queen led all the way from box seven when defeating Ollie Limes by 2½ lengths in 17.78 seconds.

The win was the third at the local track from seven starts for the Russell Wiseman-owned daughter of Tommy Shelby and Princess Kiwi.

A couple of races later the Kyle Goodwin trained Lust To Burn gained a run as a reserve from box eight and led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (400 m). She hung on for a half-length win over Sarah Louise in 23.54 seconds.

Later in the day, over at Warrnambool, Kyle Goodwin’s Surprise Star, a litter brother to Major Queen and also raced by Wiseman, contested the 13 Races Tonight Maiden Stake (390 m).

Drawn in box eight, the blue dog settled in second spot before finishing strongly in the run home for a length win over Paw Palmer in 22.58 seconds.

Also enjoying success at two tracks last Thursday was Allendale East trainer David Peckham who was among the winners at Tara Raceway with Bourne Midnight and later at Angle Park with Bourne Model.

Bourne Midnight virtually led all the way in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake (400 m), the daughter of Shima Shine and Midnight Daisy holding out Ritza Wotton for a 1½ length win in 23.16 seconds.

Bourne Model, drawn in box six in the Fresh Pet Food Co Stake (596 m) at Angle Park, quickly found the front and was never headed when defeating Oh Sadie by 1¾ lengths in 34.71 seconds.

Lochinvar Pearl and Imposter’s wins at Tara Raceway last Thursday took leading sire Fernando Bale’s number of winners this year at Tara Raceway to 140. And his recent passing marked the end of an era.

From 44 starts, Fernando Bale recorded 35 wins and won more than $1.29 million in prize money. He was the first greyhound in Australian history to break the million dollar barrier. And his progeny has won close to $200 million in prize money.

By Kelsos Fusileer out of Chloe Allen, Fernando Bale has been the leading sire at Mount Gambier since 2020.

They don’t come much smaller than Littlefoot, the fawn female greyhound weighing in at 23.7 kilograms prior to last Sunday’s 40th running of the Newman McDonnell Memorial final over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.

But despite drawing wide in box eight, she had crossed the classy field of grade five greyhounds by the time the first turn came up. And from then on she never looked likely to be headed, leading all the way for a 1¼ length win over Way Cool in a time of 30.14 seconds.

Littlefoot has now won eight races from 37 starts and is owned by local sisters Deb Hicks and Elysia Bartholomew. The latter is also the trainer of the daughter of Blue Moon Rising and Galactic Athena, winner of the 2019 Mount Gambier Cup when trained by the girls’ father Steve Bartholomew.

Missing the big win was her trainer who is currently on holidays. But the part-owner was on track as was their father who handled the McDonnell Memorial winner.

And Steve Bartholomew actually handled Newman McDonnell’s Tara Topar back in 1981 when the black dog won the first Mount Gambier Cup conducted at the Glenburnie racecourse.

Given the significance of last Sunday’s occasion, Margaret Considine, a passionate supporter for so many years of her father’s memorial race, had gone all out in the selection of a trophy to commemorate the race with a 40-year history.

She didn’t disappoint but then again was she ever going to? Connections received a magnificent bronze greyhound statue which had also been given a name – Oliveen.

Back in August 1964 Sandown Park had run its first Laurels over 555 yards which carried a first prize of 250 pounds. This had been won by N. F. McDonnell’s Tara Princess, a daughter of Chief Zephyr and Oliveen.

Oliveen, a daughter of Lucky Bingo and Jetrock, turned out to be a terrific producer while the Tara prefix has graced both of Mount Gambier’s greyhound tracks.

Earlier in the day Wind Whiskers led all the way from box six in the Carlin & Gazzard Mixed Stake (305 m) when defeating Cadillac Ragtop by 4¼ lengths and bringing up her sixth consecutive win at Tara Raceway.

Trained at Millicent by Dave Green, the win was Wind Whiskers’ sixth in succession, the run commencing on October 19. This was the second occasion this year that she had strung together six wins in a row – between July 20 and August 24. Both times three different distances were involved.

By Beast Unleashed out of Takers To Vegas, she has now won 20 races at Tara Raceway, as well as running seven seconds and four thirds for a total of 88 points. This ensures she will win this year’s Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year award.

In recent times Adelaide-based Barry Poyner has been a regular at Tara Raceway Sunday meetings, transporting and handling greyhounds for Moppa trainer Judi Hurley.

And he led in a running double with Zipping Grande and Busting in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (732 m) and the Federal Hotel Stake (400 m).

Zipping Grande, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and Zipping Meg spent a greater part of the race at the rear of the four-dog affair before finishing strongly in the home straight for a 2¼ length win over kennelmate Springvale Rita in 43.87 seconds.

In the following race, Busting, a son of Sennachie and Paua Of Chloe, found the front down the back straight before running out a 1½ length winner over a fast finishing Compton Chinook in 23.32 seconds.

But Poyner had an extra customer last Sunday – a couple of Globe Derby Park trainer Jason Dolan’s litter sisters in Carry On Natasha and Carry On Kim with the former looking to make it five wins in succession.

Contesting the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m), Carry On Natasha was only fairly away from box five but once finding the outside running quickly put herself in the race. And in the run home she was too strong for Big Solomona when winning by three lengths in 17.83 seconds.

Carry On Kim settled in second spot behind Trading Halt in the Commercial Hotel Stake (400 m) before taking the lead off the back and running out a 5¾ length winner in a quick 22.79 seconds.

By Bernardo, the sisters are out of Colden Brookie who is daughter of Colden Star who won 10 races at Tara Raceway when trained by Bea Bryant.

The wins were Dolan’s first at Tara Raceway since he had been down for the 2023 Mount Gambier Cup and won a heat of the Formula 400 Open with Charlie Brother.

The win of Moorak Sally in last Thursday’s Klaassens Contractors TG1-4W Stake (400 metres) at Tara Raceway made for a real family day for Moorak part-owner and trainer Allan Holmes.

Raced in partnership with his son Tim, the daughter of My Redeemer and Galactic Mojo looked ideally drawn in box one and raced accordingly when leading all the way and defeating Cantara Pearl by 5¾ lengths in a best of day 23.00 seconds.

It would seem a 12 month break from the track has worked wonders for both trainer and greyhound with the black bitch having now won twice from five starts since returning to racing in mid-October.

Accompanying Holmes at last week’s meeting were his wife Fran, daughter Mel Jones, granddaughter Abbey and Tim’s son Connor.

Galactic Mojo, a litter sister to Galactic Athena – winner of the 2019 Mount Gambier Cup – won eight races at Tara Raceway from 33 starts before whelping the one litter that also includes Galactic Spartan.

Owned by Robert Chuck at Compton, 10 minutes down the road from Moorak, Galactic Spartan won his first three races at Tara Raceway over 305 metres and 400 metres before being transferred to Victorian trainer Matt Lanigan.

In September he strung together three staying wins at The Meadows and Sandown Park. And last Saturday night at Sandown Park he qualified for the Group 1 Bold Trease $75,000 to the winner final (715 m) when second in the first of three heats.

Well back early, Galactic Spartan secured a rails run mid-race before finishing strongly in the run home with a two length second behind Fade To Black in 41.93 seconds. This gave his owner his first Group 1 finalist.

At the conclusion of Galactic Mojo’s racing career, Chuck had handed her over to local trainer Tracie Price for breeding purposes in return for a couple of pups – one of them turning out to be Galactic Spartan.

Another successful family day out last week was that of Bendigo-based Mary and Aaron Blake, whose two winners were handled by family members Khris and Beck Blake.

Duran Rachel, who boasts strong imported bloodlines, being a daughter of Ballymac Kingdom and Fabriola Duran, is owned by Aaron and trained by Mary Blake.

Jumping from box four in the Da’Leni Meats TG1-4W Stake (305 m), Duran Rachel settled in second spot behind Fabulous Fleur before taking the lead turning for home and hanging on for a three-quarter length win in 17.88 seconds.

Later in the day, in the Cadillac Racing TG1-6W Series Final (512 m), three-quarters of a length separated the Aaron Blake owned and trained pair of Bomb Rocky and McIvor Olly. And his other runner, the Mary Blake trained Maisey’s Image, was close up in third spot in 30.39 seconds.

Bomb Rocky, who finished hard along the rails, has now won four races. He boasts fully imported bloodlines, being by Ballymac Bolger out of JD Bombshell. McIvor Olly is a son of Feral Franky out of McIvor Verna, a former 600 metre Tara Raceway track record holder.

Maisey’s Image, whose only win has been at Tara Raceway back in August over 305 metres, gave plenty of cheek as a $13 chance. She’s a daughter of Hooked On Scotch out of Adelong, a winner of 10 races at the track over 400 m, 512 m, 600 m and 732 m.

So, the Series Final turned out to be a clean sweep for the Blake team with prize money for the three placegetters totalling $1740. Nice work if you can get it on a time-graded day.

Paul and Troy Hammerstein were back among the local winners with litter brothers Is He Happy and Is He Lucky giving them a good start and Imposter bringing up a treble for the Ararat-based pair.

By Beast Unleashed out of Made Me Blind, Is He Happy quickly found the front from box eight in the Sealeys Springworks TG5+W Stake (400 m) before running out a 7½ length winner over Sarah Louise, another Blake greyhound, in 23.13 seconds.

And Is He Lucky, after overcoming a slow start in the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake (400 m), found the lead off the back before running home well when defeating Princess To Burn by 2½ lengths in 23.23 seconds.

Then in the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (305 m), Imposter quickly found the front from box seven before running away to a 3¾ length win over She’s Fired Up in 17.65 seconds.

Portland trainer Nicole Stanley landed her second Tara Raceway double this year after half-sister and half-brother, Frivolous Fallon and My Boy Josh won the first and last races.

By Feral Franky out of Looks Like Turbo, Frivolous Fallon overcame plenty of early trouble before finishing strongly in the run home to defeat litter brother Fishy Fisher by 2¾ lengths in 18.66 seconds in the Federal Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m).

My Boy Josh, a son of Bernardo, took his number of wins to 15 when quickly finding the front from box one and running out a 2½ length winner over Kerry’s Cadillac in a personal best time of 17.54 seconds in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake (305 m).

And Hamilton trainer Lorraine Goodwin, who kicked off the year when training a double with Princess To Burn and Blue To Burn, followed up with her fourth double at Tara Raceway for 2025.

First it was Major Queen, a daughter of Tommy Shelby and Princess Kiwi, who railed through off the back in the Quickmix Concrete Group TG1-4W Stake (305 m) before running out a 2¾ length winner over Maggie May in 17.97 seconds.

The win was the start of a big day for the litter with Winsome Jet also winning at Nowra and Winsome Storm successful at Wentworth Park.

Then, back at Tara Raceway later in the day, the Goodwin owned and trained Kia Keeping continued her good form at the local track when bringing up her third win from four starts.

The daughter of Fernando Bale and Ruby Keeping was in front by the first turn and was never headed, eventually running out a length winner over another smart type in Ritza Wotton in 29.80 seconds in the Williams Crane Hire TG5+W Stake (512 m).

Mount Gambier’s leading trainers, Tracie Price and David Peckham, will be chasing further Newman McDonnell Memorial success at Tara Raceway on Sunday afternoon in what will be the 40th running of the time-honoured 512 metre event.

For Price, his first memorial win had been in 2010 with Teddy La Plume, a son of Go Wild Teddy and Sun La Girl. Since then he has been successful in 2018 with Banjo Lass and last year with outsider Wild Milly.

The Peckham-trained Bourne Again won the memorial in 2013 and 2014 prior to Midnight Daisy, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Midnight News, defeating Rajasthan in 2020 in a time of 30.12 seconds.

Three heats of the McDonnell Memorial were run in ordinary weather conditions last Sunday. And it was the Allendale East-based Peckham’s Terrific Bobby who won the first heat after a terrific battle with Littlefoot.

Owned by Mikayla Schulz, Terrific Bobby – based locally since September – overcame a slow start from box seven before finding the rails down the back straight and taking the lead.

But it was a tight go in the home straight with the leader holding on to defeat the Elysia Bartholomew trained Littlefoot by three-quarters of a length in 30.34 seconds. A close-up third was Kev Patzel’s Aston Darwin who also secured a spot in this Sunday’s final.

By Superior Panama out of Zipping Irene, Terrific Bobby has now won 15 races, the past two at Tara Raceway while in Peckham’s care.

And Patzel will now be looking to emulate his father Ralph, a former trainer and Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club life member, when it comes to the memorial final on Sunday.

Patzel snr was the owner-trainer of Edgar Bale, a son of El Grando x Lycinda Bale, who defeated Ella Rule and Go Hoss in the 2009 Newman McDonnell Memorial in a time of 30.56 seconds.

The Robert Halliday trained Way Cool caused something of a surprise in the second heat when running 30.13 seconds – in what turned out to be the fastest of the three qualifying races – and defeating the Price trained odds-on favourite Chuck A Party by two lengths.

Chasing his first win in six months, the son of Flying Ricciardo and Miami Fernando jumped well from box eight and took up the running from Paw London down the back before holding out the favourite and Ray Mahony’s Sweet Secret. The three placegetters also advanced to the final.

In the final heat it was the awkwardly drawn box six runner Dirty Dash who was in front at the first turn and eventually ran out a 5¼ length winner over the Judi Hurley trained Mr. Burner in 30.40 seconds. The pair makes up the eight finalists.

A son of Fernando Bale and Angel Dash, Dirty Dash is another of the finalists who had been out of the winner’s list for a while. He’s trained by Price, who also part-owns the black and white dog in partnership with Garry Harding and 15-year-old Liam Sharam of Penola.

Earlier in the day young Sharam’s father Stuey had Shoot The Breeze engaged from box four in the Metal Worx Stake (305 m).

The son of Feral Franky and Nordegren is raced by Wayne and Julie Smith of Mildura, owners of Sharp Thief who in April this year ran a terrific race for Sharam when finishing second to Aston Gozo in the Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup.

Shoot The Breeze, previously a winner of four races at Bendigo and Sandown Park, was having only his second run at the local track and, according to Sharam, not really that well placed over 305 metres.

In what was a rough-house affair, Shoot The Breeze was able to find the front off the back before running out a 1½ length winner over Crowie Unleashed in 17.99 seconds.

That turned out to be a good start to the day for the father and son team.

And the Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year (GOTY) two-dog war between Wind Whiskers and Mister Cadillac continued at Tara Raceway last Sunday.

Trained at Millicent by Dave Green, Wind Whiskers made it five wins in succession and 22 all told when leading all the way from box one in the Commercial Hotel Open Stake (512 m). On the line she had 2¼ lengths to spare over Magic Tom in 30.05 seconds.

Captain Abbott’s Mister Cadillac, who had won four races in succession prior to going down to Wind Whiskers the previous week, bounced back last Sunday when defeating Wario by 1½ lengths in 17.65 seconds in the Icon Signs Mixed Stake (305 m).

With six Sunday meetings remaining this year, Wind Whiskers currently has 85 GOTY points and Mister Cadillac 67.

South Australian greyhound racing took on a new look last week after Greyhound Racing SA had issued uniforms that are now required to be worn by all licensed handlers when boxing greyhounds at Mount Gambier, Angle Park, Gawler and Murray Bridge race meetings.

The uniform upgrade was required to be worn for the first time at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway. All participants were dressed accordingly and it has to be said the presentation of handlers and greyhounds making their way to the boxes was most professional.

And enjoying a winning day with veteran litter brother and sister Bulsara and Time After Time were Meningie-based Tanya Bialek and partner Tim Richards.

Bialek’s brindle dog Bulsara led for the majority of the 305 metre journey in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake, eventually running out a length winner over Princess To Burn in 17.87 seconds.

Whelped in April 2021, the son of Barcia Bale is out of Molly Be Nimble – the daughter of Nitro Burst and Hope’s Up winning 24 races and more than $41,000 in prize money. Bulsara has now raced on 108 occasions for 14 wins and more than $15,000 in prize money.

For Richards, his first Mount Gambier winner had been back in December 2017 with a greyhound called Allen Paul who had defeated his litter sister Oemi Allen – trained at Winslow by Paul Teuma.

And plenty of local success has since followed for Richards with a SA Country Cup win, a classic and memorial wins, and a 400 metre track record of 22.55 seconds by Almighty Stripe in April 2021.

Time After Time lined up from box five in the Carlin & Gazzard TG5+W Stake (512 m) and chased another of her litter brothers in Silk Sonic for much of the journey. In fact it wasn’t until well into the home straight that she found the front before running out a length winner in 29.87 seconds.

She’s now raced on 143 occasions for 28 wins and prize money of $55,400 with Richards saying that he would keep the black bitch racing until the signs were there that she had had enough.
He also said he would like to start breeding some more litters again.

“The past few years have been a real struggle for us due to the number of operations I’ve had on one of my legs as the result of an accident. Hopefully things are now starting to turn around.

“One of our bitches I am keen to breed with is Butter Up Again who is by Aston Dee Bee out of Molly Be Nimble. She’s a litter sister to Rosie Red, the dam of Mallee Beauty, Apilla and Bookaloo from a mating to My Redeemer.”

Earlier in the day Shuffling, raced by Nicole Stanley and Nifty Lenehan, and trained by the latter at Portland, lined up from box one in the Greg Martlew Autos TG1-4W Stake (305 m) chasing his second win in 24 starts.

Settling in second spot, the black dog then finished strongly in the run home when defeating Cadillac Class by 2¼ lengths in 18.03 seconds.

By the US sire Kinda Cruel Red, Shuffling is out of Cryer’s Harper who all told won 22 races and was one of Tara Raceway’s better greyhounds during 2018-19.

Raced by Tom and Margaret Cryer, the daughter of Spud Regis and Cryer’s Midget finished seventh in the 2018 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year (GOTY) behind Jeff Guy’s Paraphernalia and the following year a close second to Captain Abbott’s Black Spring.

Another Tara Raceway regular who has been contending with health issues this year is Coleraine-based Bob Wombwell – breeder and owner-trainer of the successful Sennachie x Serene Rose “Eskimo” litter.

Drawn in box two in the Produce Store TG1-4W Stake (400 m), Eskimo Moana had last won at Tara Raceway back in March as a $50 chance when defeating current GOTY leader Wind Whiskers in 23.30 seconds.

With only four runs under her belt since then, the white and black bitch last Thursday went straight to the front before running out an 8¼ length winner over Quincy Bones in 23.33 seconds.

And Wario, who boasts a 40 per cent winning strike rate, brought up his 30th win from 73 starts for local owner-trainer Kevin Patzel.

The son of Pindari Express and Fiery Crash was only fairly away from box seven in the Quickmix Concrete Group TG5+W Stake (305 m). But he quickly made up ground and finished strongly for a neck win over Energy To Burn and Wilder in 17.53 seconds.