It’s fair to say She’s A Jumbo, owned and trained at Meningie by Tim Richards, looked anything but a $1.22 chance after making a real mess of the start in last Sunday’s Ferness @ Stud final (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

Drawn out in box eight, she had given the field a conservative three lengths at box rise. However, down the back the black bitch had put herself into the race after working into second spot behind tearaway leader Aston Deutz.

And in the run home, She’s A Jumbo simply kept coming, eventually running out a two length winner over the David Peckham trained Aston Deutz in 29.86 seconds. In third place was Lorraine Goodwin’s Major Queen, a half-sister to Ferness.

Connections of She’s A Jumbo also received a Ferness straw, kindly donated by Ron Evans. A son of Fernando Bale and Princess Kiwi, Ferness won 15 races, including the 2025 Richmond Derby, and prize money of more than $170,000.

Richards is now looking at next month’s SA Country Cup with the Ferness winner and her litter brother Big Diesel who earlier this year won the Autumn Classic (512 m) at Tara Raceway. They are by Bernardo out of Rhonda Lily and bred locally by Tracie Price.

It was back in October 2021 that the Richards owned and trained He’s All Purpose, representing the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club, won the SA Country Cup final (530 m) at Angle Park in a time of 30.76 seconds.

A maximum of two heats of the SA Country Cup heats (512 m) will be run at Mount Gambier on Sunday, September 27. Two runners each from Mount Gambier, Gawler and Murray Bridge will contest the 530 metre $10,000 final at Angle Park on Friday, October 9.

Meanwhile, Duran Nirvana, trained for Sarah Barbetti by Dustin Drew of Dennington, found winning form again after turning in an impressive performance in the Federal Hotel Mixed Stake over 512 metres.

By Ballymac Kingdom out of Fabriola Duran, the black dog led all the way from box five for a 3½ length win over Paw Danny in 29.48 seconds. Following the best of day win, Drew is now likely to also give the SA Country Cup serious consideration.

For the first time since June 7, distance racing over 732 metres was back at Tara Raceway last Sunday – thanks to Lewiston-based Clint Trengove who owned and trained the four runners.

Actually, Oregon Janet, owned and trained by Trengove’s son Lucas, had been the last winner at Tara Raceway over the distance after defeating Compton Rocky by a length in a time of 43.70 seconds.

Lining up from box six in last Sunday’s Ontrack Insider Mixed Stake, Nova’s Fern never looked like losing when running out a 7¾ length winner over Akela Martial, another of the imported Ballymac Kingdom progeny racing at Tara Raceway last Sunday.

Millicent trainer Dave Green, out of the winner’s circle since early March, made up for lost time last week with kennel newcomer Moonlight Nellie who is owned at Warrnambool by Linda Gore.

Lining up from box eight in the Quickmix Concrete Group TG1-4W Stake (305 m) at the Thursday meeting, Moonlight Nellie was always on the pace before finishing strongly for a narrow win over Shirl The Whirl in 17.93 seconds.

Then at the Sunday meeting the daughter of Fernando Bale and My Girl Kizzy led all the way from box one in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Stake (400 m) for a 1¾ length win over Divine Power in a tidy 22.85 seconds.

And in what was a good day for the Gore family, Moonlight Grand, owned and trained by Linda’s husband Rob, scored a solid win in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 when defeating former NSW greyhound Dynamic Sunny by 1¾ lengths in 17.63 seconds.

Gus Limes wrapped up the day when bringing up his first win since late May for local owner Kevin Bouchier and Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley in the Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake (400 m).

The son of Aston Rupee and Elle Limes quickly found the front from box four and was never headed when running out a length winner over Lie To Me in 23.05 seconds.

The win added to Gus Limes’ Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year tally and consolidated his spot at the top of the leader board – a position he has held since April when taking over from Capybara.

The brindle dog has now won six races this year and run 12 seconds and five thirds at Tara Raceway for a total of 71 points. Closest to him is the Goodwin family’s Kia Keeping who has registered five wins, six seconds and two thirds for 60 points.

It was in 2022 that North Bendigo trainer Aaron Blake enjoyed a successful year at Tara Raceway with his greyhound Adelong. A daughter of Fernando Bale and Bonnie Beauty, the blue bitch won 10 races over 400 m, 512 m, 600 m and 732 m.

Adelong raced on 38 occasions, with her only wins being the 10 at Tara Raceway. Then, in October 2023 she whelped her first litter by Hooked On Scotch which included Come On Luba and Lady Tsunade who both raced locally last Thursday.

Lining up in the Cadillac Racing TG1-4W Stake (305 m), Come On Luba had been chasing her first win since November last year when successful at Ballarat over 450 metres.

And she never looked in danger of defeat after quickly finding the front from the outside box before running out a 5½ length winner over Eskimo Ruby in 17.77 seconds.

Then, in the Federal Hotel TG5+W Stake (305 m), Lady Tsunade, also jumping from box eight, led all the way for a three length win over Cantara Pearl in a time of 17.89 seconds.

Meanwhile, back in 2012, the Berringa Park Iron Dog – a three-distance series – was run over 400 metres, 512 metres and 400 metres. This wasn’t all that taxing but at the time there weren’t too many distances available.

As it turned out, the Michael Niele-sponsored series winner was Kiss Me Donkey, a greyhound who had taken more than 50 starts to win her maiden for young brothers Calum and Aaron Blake. Niele and Aaron continue to race greyhounds on a regular basis at Tara Raceway.

Standing in for Blake last week, and doing the job pretty well after landing a double, was his brother Khris, accompanied by wife Beck.

Niele, who won the 2003 Mount Gambier Cup with Monstropolis, was also among the winners last Thursday with Kazakhstan, winner of the Sealeys Springworks TG5+W Stake (305 m) in a time of 17.74 seconds.

The son of Feral Franky and Darryl’s Dream, after an ordinary start from box one, quickly took up the running before scoring a 3¾ length win over Bulsara in 17.74 seconds.

Also landing a double was Glencoe-based trainer Dean Fennell who was successful with Saint Ella in the Gordon Refrigeration TG1-4W Stake (305 m) while Compton Franky won the Greyhoundtips.com.au TG5+W Stake (400 m).

Saint Ella, a daughter of My Redeemer and Mepunga Stellar, went straight to the front from box seven and was never headed when defeating Slovakia by a length in 17.90 seconds.

And Compton Franky displayed plenty of early pace from box two and was always on the pace, eventually running out a 1½ length winner over Jaja Ding Dong in 23.64 seconds.

By Feral Franky, the winner is a blue dog out of Perseverance who won 16 races at Mount Gambier when trained by Fennell.

Last week’s double follows on from the Fennell family’s good day early last month after Dean and wife Edna had landed a treble with Compton Layla, Compton Bowie and Magic Poppy.

Magpie Spice was an impressive winner of the Ontrack Insider Fast Forward TG1-4W Stake (400 m) which carried a handy time-graded first prize of $1065 to the winner.

Owned in Geelong by Mathew Kerr, the daughter of Fernando Bale and One More Burn is trained at Hamilton by Lorraine Goodwin who became the third trainer in three starts of the white and black bitch.

Jumping from box seven at what was her seventh race start, Magpie Spice quickly found the front and was never headed when running out a 3¾ length winner over Linda Lou in a time of 23.33 seconds.

GRSA PROPOSES NEW LOCAL RULE: Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) is seeking feedback from participants on a proposed new Local Rule relating to vacant boxes at race meetings.

The proposed Local Rule is intended to permit GRSA to determine which box or boxes are left vacant when fields comprise fewer than eight greyhounds at the time of the box draw.

New Local Rule: Vacant boxes – Notwithstanding GAR 85(3), where there are less than eight greyhounds eligible to compete in an event at the time when a box draw is to be carried out, the number of the box or boxes to be left vacant may be determined by the Controlling Body.

Written submissions may be provided to Andrew Baker, General Manager – Integrity & Welfare, by email at Andrew.baker@grsa.com.au. Feedback should be provided by Monday, September 7, 2026.

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.