With the box draw conducted on track last Sunday for the $25,000 Federal Hotel Anniversary Cup final (512 metres) to be run on Sunday, Ben Divirgilio couldn’t have been happier after Utter Madness came up with box two.

Trained at Lewiston by Nicole Price, Utter Madness had drawn box seven in the first of five heats. Divirgilio, together with Maddie Schulz, made the trip down to handle Price’s runners but had expressed some concern over the wide draw.

But he needn’t have worried. Going out of the first turn, the black and white dog was in front and from then on never looked in any danger of defeat when defeating All Mucked Up by three lengths in 29.60 seconds – the second-fastest of the heats.

By Aussie Infrared out of Easy Choice, Utter Madness, formerly based in Victoria, joined the Price kennels in October last year. He has now won a further 17 races on SA’s four tracks.

Fastest time in the Anniversary Cup heats was recorded by Paw Winder, who had been coming off an unplaced run behind Organised Crime in the Group 2 Horsham Cup final over 485 metres.

Trained at Avalon by Rebecca Gibbons, the son of Orson Allen and Yahiro Bale settled in second spot early from box three before taking the lead down the back straight from another Price runner in Nola Keeping.

And Paw Winder, who goes into the final as the youngest runner, finished off the race strongly for a 4¾ length win over the early leader in 29.54 seconds.

Handling the winner was Mark Johnson, back with the Gibbons team after a stint out on his own. Actually, back in 2023 he handled the Mount Gambier Cup winner in Titan Blazer for them.

The Anniversary Cup, first conducted in 1985, is also nothing new to him either. Back in 2024, when training in his own right, Johnson won the local event with Fireworks.

Back at Tara Raceway again last Sunday was Lara trainer Danielle Smith with Gorringe who ran third in the final of this year’s Mount Gambier Cup in April.

Away fairly from box three in the second heat, the daughter of Bernardo and Patriot Earhart moved into second spot behind tearaway leader Destroying before finishing strongly in the run home for a 4¼ length win over High Cube in 29.89 seconds.

And flying the flag for the locals is Compton trainer Tracie Price who won the final heat with Compton Gold – the daughter of Beast Unleashed and Minnie Banjo leading all the way for a 5¼ length win over Prison Break in 29.91 seconds.

He also has Statue Of Time engaged in the final and will be looking to add to an already impressive Anniversary Cup record. In 2020 he was successful with Spring Cuervo and then followed up in successive years with Tandiki and Giant’s Flash.

Never Ever Late ran right up to his name in heat four of the cup after settling well back from box five in the early stages of the race. But the blue dog finished the race off strongly when defeating Statue Of Time by 1¾ lengths in 29.98 seconds.

He’s owned and trained at Anakie by Josh Formosa who still recalls his first visit to Tara Raceway as a six-year-old.

Boasting interesting bloodlines, Never Ever Late is by Irish sire Ballymac Cashout. His dam, Cool Bourbski, is a daughter of Fernando Bale x Bourbski Fever and a winner of 19 races and $138,000 in prize money.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day three heats of the John Reid Memorial Maiden/One Win series were run over 305 metres. The first two placegetters in each heat advanced to Sunday’s final.

In the first heat, Costly Habits, a son of Hooked On Scotch and Emerald Hill – who took 21 starts to open his winning account back in May – quickly found the front from box five before running out a 5¼ length winner over Bourne Reagan in 18.00 seconds.

Stepping in for Rowsley trainer Matt Lanigan was his father Gerald who handled Canya Guru in the second heat for Adelaide owners The Triple Bogeys Syndicate.

Having his fifth start after winning a maiden at Shepparton in early July, the son of Bernardo and Cayenne Model virtually led all the way from box seven when scoring a 4¾ length win over Saint Kylie in 17.79 seconds.

Hamilton-based Lorraine Goodwin, who trained the winner of the first heat, was successful again in the third and final heat with the Matt Kerr owned Magpie Spice, a daughter of Fernando Bale out of One More Burn.

Having her fourth start, the white and black bitch was always on the pace from box one and in a keenly contested finish Magpie Spice held on to beat Mary Lee by a nose with a further head back to Inga Noah in 18.25 seconds.

It had been a while since Mortlake owner-trainer Shaun Baulch had last trained a winner at Tara Raceway. In fact, it had been with a greyhound called Mrs. Watson back in October 2022.

Recently back on a regular basis for the Thursday time-graded meetings at the Mount Gambier track, Baulch broke the drought last week with a well-bred maiden give away by the name of Hit Reset.

The July 2024 black dog lined up from box seven in the Federal Hotel Stake (305 metres) after having been unplaced on three occasions last month at Sale and Warragul.

But it was Cap Abbott’s runner-up Cadillac Snoop who led the way from box two before figuring in a terrific three-way finish with eventual winner Hit Reset and third-placed 31-start maiden Major Envy, owned by Mark Roberts and trained by his wife Cath.

On the line, Hit Reset had a head to spare over the minor placegetters who were separated by only a nose in a time of 18.05 seconds.

By Allen Deed, the winner – who had been in Baulch’s kennels for only a week – is out of Amnesty, a winner in 2021-2022 of eight races from 40 starts at Sandown Park, The Meadows and Ballarat.

The day wasn’t a total write-off for the second and third placed trainers, though, with Abbott successful with Crowie Unleashed and Cath Roberts with Rose Champagne.

Crowie Unleashed, a son of Beast Unleashed and Minnie Banjo, led all the way from box one in the Gordon Refrigeration TG5+W Stake (305 m) when defeating Jazzy Boo by 1¾ lengths in 17.86 seconds.

And in the Pindari Express @ Stud TG1-4W Stake (400 m), Rose Champagne – having her first start over the 400 metre journey – quickly found the front from box two before running out a 4¾ length winner over Compton Zirconia in 23.27 seconds.

Also bred by Roberts, two-race Mount Gambier winner Rose Champagne is by US sire Kinda Cruel Red out of Nyssa’s Girl, who raced on 128 occasions for 11 wins and 34 minor placings at Geelong, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Mount Gambier.

Other winners from her February 2024-whelped litter are Bragging Rights, Collective Kaos and Major Jealous.

Meanwhile, Rough Girl Slim, owned and trained at OB Flat by Noel Perry, is making up for lost time after being sidelined at the beginning of November until the end of March this year.

Stringing together two wins soon after her return in April, Rough Girl Slim was back among the winners last Thursday. Running down Fantastic Ada in the home straight, she scored a 1¼ length win in 23.24 seconds in the Collins Court Butcher TG5+W Stake (400 m).

The daughter of My Redeemer and Vossy – a litter sister to another successful local producer in Perseverance – has now won 10 races.

 

STUD SERVICES TO COMPLEMENT RACING IN AUGUST

The Bernie Burrow @ Stud Best 8 race over 512 metres, which will carry a service to Bernie Burrow, will highlight racing at Tara Raceway on Sunday, August 9.

Winner of the 2024 Group 1 Hobart Thousand and Tassie Gold Cup, the black dog is a son of Bernardo and My Gal Penny.

“A winner of 21 races and $184,000 in prize money, Bernie Burrow went everywhere and won everywhere during his 48-start career,” said syndicate manager Nick Cutri. “We are extremely happy with the response to him at stud. And everyone is raving about the quality of his pups.”

And on Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, August 23, the Ferness @ Stud Grades 5/6 heats and final series will be run over 512 metres. This will carry a service to Ferness.

Ferness, a son of Fernando Bale and Princess Kiwi, won 15 races and $177,000 in prize money. One of his racing highlights was a win in the 2025 Richmond Derby.

Meanwhile, Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) informs participants of a change in the Preferential Box Draw (PBD) racing that is now to be trialled at nominated Tara Raceway meetings as from August. This will be based on early racing patterns identified by IsoLynx data.

PBD racing seeks to place competing greyhounds into boxes that best suit their racing characteristics (particularly in the early stages of racing) in an effort to improve racing safety outcomes and reduce the risk of injury.

As far as the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club is concerned, PBD racing will commence at time-graded meetings conducted at Tara Raceway on Thursday, August 13 and Thursday, August 27. All greyhounds nominated (including maidens) will be placed in a PBD event – no reserves.

Compton-based trainer Tracie Price and his daughter Sarah will be hoping their in-form greyhound Pinky Rocks can continue on her winning way in a heat of this Sunday’s $25,000 Federal Hotel Anniversary Cup (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

Contesting last Sunday’s Federal Hotel Mixed Stake (512 m), Pinky Rocks displayed plenty of early pace from box six when leading all the way for a two length win over another genuine Anniversary Cup contender in Kia Keeping in a quick time of 29.36 seconds.

For the June 2024 daughter of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia, it was her fourth successive win. During June she won over 400 metres at Tara Raceway by 13½ lengths in a near-record time of 22.54 seconds.

Pinky Rocks then followed up with a 512 metre win in a quick 29.54 seconds before venturing to Murray Bridge where she won over 455 metres at the end of the month in a best of day time of 25.46 seconds.

The Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup was first run out at Glenburnie in 1985 when won by Hazel Lane’s Kenzel Lad. And the first Anniversary Cup run at the Lake Terrace East venue was won by the Col Sims trained Becker McLaren in 1997 in a time of 30.28 seconds.

Price boasts an impressive record in the cup. In 2020 he was successful with Spring Cuervo in 29.77 seconds. He then followed up in successive years with Tandiki (29.75 seconds) and Giant’s Flash who equalled his own track record when winning in 29.19 seconds.

And last Sunday was another big day for Price when he ended the day with four other winners as well – Compton Lass, Compton Rocks, Compton To Avoid and Rock It Kathy on the 10-race card. This was the third time this year that he had trained five winners at a local meeting.

Kicking off the meeting was the Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake over 600 metres which resulted in littermates Big Boy Jett and Blue Moon Marie fighting out the finish for local owners Noel Miller and Peter Lamond and Koroit trainer Peter Keane.

Always on the pace, Big Boy Jett, who had run third the previous week over 600 metres to Duran Pantera, defeated his sister by 1½ lengths in a time of 35.33 seconds. Early leader Weblec Shiralee, trained at Springton by Maddie Schulz, finished a further three lengths back in third spot.

Big Boy Jett and Blue Moon Marie are by Blue Moon Rising out of 2019 Mount Gambier Cup winner Galactic Athena. The litter also includes Robert Chuck’s locally owned Galactic Nemesis, a winner of 23 races.

According to long-time trainer Keane, there’s quite a story surrounding Blue Moon Marie, who together with her litter brother had been purchased as a pup from Worrolong breeder Steve Bartholomew and reared by Miller.

“Actually, Blue Moon Marie kicked off her racing career in pretty good style,” he said. “From her first five starts she won two races at Warrnambool over 390 metres and 450 metres.

“Then the rot set in after she fell at her next start at Warrnambool. We doubted whether she would ever race again but 12 months later she resumed. Finishing down the line at her first two runs back, we persevered and in May, much to our delight, she won over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.”

Keane said he would now weigh up his options as far as the 600 metre Eric Lewis Memorial at Tara Raceway on Anniversary Cup final day on Sunday, July 19 was concerned.

He also had Typhoon Thomas, at 5½ years of age the oldest runner engaged in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (305 m), a Masters race for greyhounds around four years of age and older.

But it was Cadillac Belle, at five years of age, and with 102 starts to her name, who led all the way from box five and defeated 109-start veteran Harry Chana by two lengths in 17.75 seconds for Edenhope trainer Kerry Hawker of Cadillac Racing.

By Aussie Infrared out of Marlise Bale, Cadillac Belle commenced racing at Tara Raceway back in October 2023 when defeating Mr. Tandiki over 305 metres in a time of 18.05 seconds.

And later in the day, Cap Abbott, the other half of Cadillac Racing, was successful with Bali Unleashed in the Icon Signs Stake (512 m).

By Beast Unleashed x Minnie Banjo, the black bitch chased Lektra Sting and Ollie Limes into the home straight before finishing powerfully for a length win in 30.67 seconds.

Last Thursday’s greyhound meeting at Tara Raceway turned out to be a successful day for Glencoe husband and wife team Dean and Edna Fennell after they combined to win three races on the nine-event card.

And the treble was sired by Feral Franky, a winner of 24 races and close to half a million dollars in prize money before carving out a successful career at stud.

Two of the winners, Compton Bowie and Magic Poppy, are out of Perseverance, the daughter of Dyna Double One and Miss Freelove winning 16 races at Tara Raceway between 2019 and early 2021 for Dean Fennell.

In 2020 Perseverance won a keenly contested Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year award after defeating Dyna Carnie by one point with a further point back to Keen One in third spot.

She had been so named due to her reluctance to initially chase the lure and the amount of time it took for her to finally switch on. Upon her retirement she returned to her breeder Karen Price of Compton where in October last year she whelped a second litter – this time by Bernardo.

Magic Poppy was the first of Perseverance’s initial litter to race. The brindle bitch defeated Menari Ace over 305 metres at Tara Raceway in 18.04 seconds back in early October 2024.

She’s the only greyhound owned and trained by Edna Fennell, who back in 2021 had won four races at Tara Raceway with King Smiley, a son of Spring Gun and Bekim Lucy’s.

And in last Thursday’s Williams Crane Hire TG5+W Stake (400 m), box six runner Magic Poppy settled in third spot down the back before finishing over the top of the front-running Classy Willow to score by a neck in 23.63 seconds.

In the previous race, the Ontrack Insider TG1-4W Stake (400 m), Compton Bowie, after overcoming an ordinary start from box five, found the front down the back before running out a comfortable 2¼ length winner over Compton Zirconia in 23.49 seconds.

The race was also a Fast Forward final and carried a first prize of $1065.

Compton Bowie is owned by Karen Price in partnership with her husband Tracie who a couple of races earlier had brought up his 100th winner this year at Tara Raceway as a trainer after Canya Feel It defeated Just Johnnie by a length in 23.22 seconds.

Among some of Price’s better days at the local track in the first six months of 2026 had been nine trebles, five meetings with four winners, along with a couple of meetings of five winners thrown in for good measure.

Meanwhile, the Fennell treble kicked off in the Carlin & Gazzard TG5+W Stake (305 m) with Compton Layla leading all the way from box two and eventually running out a three-quarter length winner over Cantara Pearl in 18.00 seconds.

Compton Layla’s dam is eight-race winner Galactic Horizon, a daughter of Paddy Whacker and Galactic Rumball and a litter sister to Galactic Athena, winner of the 2019 Mount Gambier Cup.

Making the trip back to Mount Gambier last week was Ararat-based owner-trainer Paul Hammerstein who was chasing his first win with the well-bred youngster Rose’s Marie, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and Quesna Dee Air.

Following two unplaced runs at Murray Bridge and Horsham, the 30+ kilogram black bitch looked well placed in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m) – a race that turned out to be a four-dog affair.

Although only fairly away, Rose’s Marie quickly put herself into the race when railing through on the turn to take the lead and run away to a 4¾ length win over Pick A Cadillac in a time of 18.13 seconds.

She’s a litter sister to Hammerstein’s white and black 32+ kilogram bitch Exactly Like Dad who has raced on five occasions for four consecutive wins at Healesville, Murray Bridge and Horsham.

PBD TO BE TRIALLED AT TARA RACEWAY IN SEPTEMBER
Preferential Box Draw (PBD) racing is to be trialled at nominated Tara Raceway meetings as from September. This will be based on early racing patterns identified by IsoLynx data.

Put simply, PBD racing seeks to place competing greyhounds into boxes that best suit their racing characteristics (particularly in the early stages of racing) in an effort to improve racing safety outcomes and reduce the risk of injury.

As far as the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club is concerned, PBD racing will be trialled at time-graded race meetings conducted at Tara Raceway on Thursday, September 10 and Thursday, September 24.

Bushfield greyhound One More Button, a 305 metre winner early last month at Tara Raceway in a quick 17.36 seconds, followed up with a near-record run in last Sunday’s Gordon Refrigeration Open Stake for owner-trainer Gary Lane.

Jumping from box six, the white and brindle 27.8 kilogram dog settled in second spot behind Adelaide chaser Galba Stacey before taking the lead turning for home and running out a 2¼ length winner in 17.22 seconds.

The track record currently stands at 17.20 seconds, run by Wind Whiskers on January 4 this year for Millicent trainer Dave Green. But the record has recently come under attack with the Tracie Price trained Flying Hugo running 17.21 seconds last month.

And according to Lane, One More Button had certainly come a long way since his early trialling days at the track when handlers had been flat out even getting him to walk around the track to the starting boxes.

By Fernando Bale, he’s out of Dynamite Miss, a daughter of Dee Tee whose litter sister Miss Jacovella in August 2015 ran a record 35.08 seconds for Lane at the local track over the 600 metre journey.

The litter sisters were daughters of Mantra Miss who at one time was the 512 metre and 732 metre record holder at Tara Raceway.

Former leading trainer David Peckham, of Allendale East, bounced back with a vengeance with three trebles in June – last Sunday with Bourne Reagan, My Mate Tex and Aston Deutz.

Bourne Reagan, who kicked off her racing career in June with three consecutive second placings at Tara Raceway, opened her winning account in the Commercial Hotel Maiden (305 m). Leading all the way, she defeated first-starter Bluey Baby by 4¼ lengths in 17.88 seconds.

The blue bitch, a half-sister to Group 1 winner Bourne Model, is by Million Dollar Chase winner McInerney – now at stud in Ireland – who sired three litters in Australia with Bourne Reagan his second winner.

And in the Pindari Express @ Stud Stake (400 m), My Mate Tex didn’t have too many problems handling himself in grade six company when leading all the way from box one and defeating Rock It Barcia by three-quarters of a length in 23.14 seconds.

The Noel Mugavin-owned son of Fernando Bale and Grace Ali won on debut earlier in June when defeating kennelmate Bourne Reagan by 1½ lengths in 17.85 seconds. Then, at only his second start last week, the blue dog had run Lady Tsunade to 2¾ lengths.

Mother and son team, Lorraine and Kyle Goodwin of Hamilton, enjoyed another good day at Tara Raceway after Major Queen, Cheques To Burn and Energy To Burn were all impressive winners.

Major Queen led all the way from box four in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (400 m), running out a 2¼ length winner over Rocklea Earle in 22.89 seconds.

A daughter of Tommy Shelby and Princess Kiwi, Major Queen is one of a litter of nine dogs and two bitches who collectively have won $705,719 in prize money – the biggest earner being Winsome Jet with $367,843.

In the Federal Hotel Open Stake (400 m) Cheques To Burn looked pretty good when leading all the way from box three. The win was the daughter of Beast Unleashed and Storm To Burn’s 20th from 90 starts and was her third in succession for June.

Later, in the Sealeys Springworks Stake (305 m), litter brother Energy To Burn quickly found the front from box two before running out a 4¼ length winner over Saint Bree in 17.57 seconds. At the half-way mark of the year the win took the Goodwin team’s local tally of winners to 46.

Meanwhile, during May and early June, local trainer Noel Perry’s stayer Compton Rocky had taken on Lewiston trainer Lucas Trengove’s Oregon Janet on four consecutive occasions over 732 metres at Tara Raceway.

Every time, Oregon Janet had come out on top, though, winning by margins ranging from 10 lengths to as close as one length.

Last week, Perry opted for a change of track and had Compton Rocky engaged over the 680 metre journey at Murray Bridge’s meeting last Friday. As luck would have it, Oregon Janet was also drawn in the four-dog race.

It’s fair to say, Compton Rocky, a son of My Redeemer and Galactic Mojo, did settle a bit closer than usual and always looked some chance even though Trengove’s dog had found the front down the back straight.

And in the run home Compton Rocky finally turned the tables on his arch rival, finishing strongly and grabbing victory by a head in a time of 40 seconds.