Contesting the Commercial Hotel Stake, Super Cobra took the time honours in last Thursday’s Fast Forward heats for 1-4 wins greyhounds at Mount Gambier’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway.

Owned by Ben Weidenbach of Cockatoo Valley and trained locally at Moorak by Jason Newman, the son of Keybow and Velocity Lilly led for most of the 400 metre journey in the last of the five heats when clocking 23.20 seconds.

With the fastest eight greyhounds from the heats qualifying for next Thursday’s Category 2 prizemoney final – irrespective of finishing position – it was a case of the first five in Super Cobra’s race going through.

Joining him are Saint Ollie 23.40, Hot Cadillac 23.44, Captain Bender 23.51 and Waffle House 23.57. Also into the final are Mrs. Watson 23.55 (first), Marcus Moloney 23.56 (second) and Bungaloo Josh 23.63 (first). The reserves will come from Little Cadillac, Raspberry Kiss and Cadillac Rocks.

Super Cobra’s win had been a while coming for connections. In fact it was back in April at the local track that he had last won, prior to sustaining an injury which, according to Newman, was always going to keep the black dog off the track for some time.

“It was at the end of May that he strained an Achilles tendon. This was going to require a fair amount of rehab so he returned to Ben’s property. But by mid-September he was ready to race again.”

Newman opted for a 390 metre grade 5 at a Warrnambool Saturday morning meeting on September 17 but the return to racing didn’t go quite to plan.

“Jumping from box five, he fell shortly after the start but fortunately no real harm was done. Needless to say, it was pleasing to see him back among the winners on Thursday. And given the time he ran, he should be right in the mix in next Thursday’s final.”

As Penshurst trainer John Cameron tells it, after having 14 names rejected for his black bitch by Lightning Frank x Fascinated all he could say to the person on the other end of the line was “this is no joke”.

“Well, actually, the name No Joke hasn’t been taken so you can have that if you like,” was the reply.

And No Joke, at start number 13, last Thursday opened her winning account at Tara Raceway when leading all the way in the Trackside Meats Maiden Stake (400 metres) to defeat Sly Cadillac by 2¼ lengths in 23.67 seconds.

It was Cameron’s second win at the track this year after No Joke’s litter sister Agnes had won on debut over 305 metres back in May.

Owner-trainer of the dam, 12-race winner Fascinated – a daughter of Hutmaker x Spellbound – Cameron also bred and reared the March 2020 litter at Penshurst.

“No Joke broke-in pretty well but was a bit scratchy in her early starts,” he said. “I reckon she’ll run a bit further than 400 metres – she’s actually bred to run 600 metres. One thing’s for sure, though, I’ll definitely be coming back to Tara Raceway with her.”

The Penshurst theme continued in race two, the Produce Store Stake (400 m), when the pint-sized 22½ kilogram Penshurst Lass led all the way for a 5¾ length win over Cadillac Beast in 23.83 seconds.

Raced by Dennis Peach and Cathy Flaven, and trained at Hamilton by Tony Harding, the winner is also by Lightning Frank, a dual Group 1 winner, out of Jimary Siesta, a 720 metre Wentworth Park winner.

Bred at Penshurst by Brendan Bunworth, Penshurst Lass has now raced on 64 occasions for four wins at Mount Gambier.

Three-year-old Archie’s birthday party, held at yesterday’s Tara Raceway greyhound meeting, certainly drew a crowd of family and friends.

And they couldn’t have hoped for a better day. Finally, the sun was shining. The grassed surrounds were in magnificent order and the TAB shade umbrellas were required to come out of storage.

Even leading trainer Tracie Price – no joy at Angle Park on Thursday night with Giant’s Flash but successful at Gawler the following day with Aussie Swiper and Ebby Tock – entered into the spirit of the day.

After Mister Banjo had scored an all the way win over Newport Flyer in a quick 22.87 seconds in the Gambier Vets Juvenile Stake (400 metres), Price arranged with steward Stan Bright for Archie and his mates to be photographed with the winner.

Also on track yesterday was Morphett Vale trainer Damien Smith and his family.

Smith, successful at Angle Park on Saturday morning with Potch, also brought down Katoni and Bruce Mick Glenn to race at Tara Raceway.

While the greyhounds both ran unplaced, his kids, who arrived with helmet in one hand and scooter in the other, seemed unperturbed as they took advantage of the ground’s pathways for their scootering.

Meanwhile, a boisterous rendition of Happy Birthday could be heard being sung to Archie. Seems they don’t call Tara Raceway the family-friendly track for nothing.

From a greyhound racing perspective, it was the Bartholomew family who shared the honours.

First starter Victor Alfred, engaged in the first heat of the Produce Store Maiden Stake (400 m), made an impressive debut for Lee Bartholomew when defeating another first starter in Bourne Bully by three lengths in 23.20 seconds.

Bred by her husband Steve, Victor Alfred is by Elite State out of Dusty Pearl, a winner of eight races ranging in distance from 400 metres to 600 metres at Tara Raceway.

Later in the day, the Steve Bartholomew trained Mary Bridget resumed after a 3½ month break with a dashing all the way 2¼ length win over Aston Marlon in a best of day 22.77 seconds in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (400 m).

By US sire Flying Stanley out of Galactic Cat, Mary Bridget was named after the trainer’s mother and Victor Alfred after his late father.

In race 11, the Carlin & Gazzard MG Stake (400 m), Unique Pearl, a litter brother to Victor Alfred – and trained by daughter Elysia Bartholomew – kept his unbeaten record intact when leading all the way to defeat Crafter Road by four lengths in 23.15 seconds and bring up his third win.

Things have just got busier out at Compton for breeder Karen Price following the whelping of a fourth litter this year – by My Redeemer out of Galactic Mojo.

A winner of eight races over 400 metres and 512 metres at Tara Raceway, Galactic Mojo’s first litter last month produced three dogs and six bitches.

By the imported Paddy Whacker out of Galactic Rumball, she is a litter sister to the 2019 Group Listed Mount Gambier Cup winner Galactic Athena. Galactic Destiny, Galactic Horizon, Galactic Titan and Galactic Zeus are also members of the 100 per cent winning litter.

Price’s year kicked off with a Banjo Lass litter of five dogs and six bitches by Aussie Infrared in January. A 16-race winner, Banjo Lass is a daughter of Knocka Norris x Banjo Star.

In March, Raw Luxury (Fernando Bale x Sober), a winner of 15 races, including 600 metre success at Cannington in WA, whelped one dog to Zambora Brockie.

And the following month, 2021 Exchange Printers Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup winner Tandiki, who all told won 18 races, produced two dogs and two bitches by Aussie Infrared.

By Peter Rocket out of Headline, Tandiki’s litter brother Burn Time won 19 races and more than $80,000 in stakemoney.

Lewiston trainer Don Turner and his family’s big day at last Sunday’s Waterloo Cup coursing meeting at Virginia was followed up at Tara Raceway on Thursday when Under Siege kicked off the day with an impressive win in the Trackside Meats Stake (600 metres).

Once again, on track with the Turner-trained team were his wife Gail and granddaughter Decota Curran who the previous week had enjoyed a luckless day when Basso’s Choice, Lance Keeping and Under Study all ran second.

The 30-start Under Siege went into Thursday’s 0-4 wins event with only an Angle Park maiden win over 530 metres at $41 back in July. But her recent form over 595 metres at the city track had been good enough to suggest a bold showing at her Mount Gambier debut.

That’s how the race played out with Under Siege overcoming a slow start before finding the front down the back and then racing away to a 7¾ length win over Loving The Cash in a quick 35.09 seconds.

Handling the winner was Curran who grew up around greyhounds and these days is also a strapper for Gawler-based race horse trainers Dean and Gary Alexander, formerly of South Africa.

And Turner went close to landing a litter double when Basso’s Choice stormed home in the Metal Worx Fast Forward final (512 m) to be beaten a neck by Classic Moment in a best of day 29.90 seconds.

Also bred by Turner, the pair is by Cosmic Chief out of Lightcry, who, according to Gail Turner, broke down before possibly reaching her full potential.

“Back in September 2018 she won a maiden at Port Augusta by 11 lengths before breaking a hock at Angle Park the following week. We decided to keep her for breeding and in November 2021 she whelped a second litter, this time to Zipping Garth.”

Don and Gail Turner’s involvement at Tara Raceway actually goes back some 10 years to when Lika Gem and Colville, trained locally for them by Allen Williams, won the 2012 Christmas Cup and the 2013 Mount Gambier Cup.

Meanwhile, at the Virginia coursing ground, Don Turner and his Cosmic Chief x Lightcry littermates Fifty Eight and Basso’s Girl made a clean sweep of the classics when winning the GOTBA Derby and GOTBA Oaks. And kennelmate All Show was runner-up to Fly For Trix in the Waterloo Cup.