This is a story that has been told before but given Thursday’s results at Tara Raceway it’s probably worthy of a recap.

It’s the one about owner-trainer Andy Graham and the two 12 month old unnamed male and female pups he had been rearing in a yard on his Portland property. And the female’s unexplained weight gain.

“Well, it soon became painfully obvious that she was in pup,” Graham said. “It also soon became painfully obvious that the dog – later to be named Bad Boy Tex – preferred being a sire rather than a racing dog.

“Needless to say, he soon found himself re-homed in the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program.”

In March 2020 the female in question – subsequently named Millie Bay – whelped her litter by Bad Boy Tex. Then, 15 months later, she made her racing debut at Tara Raceway with a third placing.

And she brought up her third win at Tara Raceway when leading all the way in Thursday’s Gordon Refrigeration Stake (400 metres). On the line she had half a length to spare over Gypsy Warrior in 23.61 seconds.

By Sulzanti, Millie Bay is out of Cee Anna Rose (Bombastic Shiraz x Senni Wendy) who Graham rates as one of the better dogs he has raced in an involvement spanning close to 20 years.

“She raced on only 18 occasions for wins at The Meadows, Ballarat and Warrnambool. And later, she produced some handy performers from the four litters she whelped.”

Race one at Thursday’s meeting, the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (400 m), saw the return of See Anna Bay, one of Millie Bay’s pups from that unplanned mating back in early 2020.

And the brindle bitch led all the way from box one when defeating Tough Talk by 3¼ lengths in 23.58 seconds. In third spot was another of Millie Bay’s progeny in Sea Storm Bay.

As it turned out, this was to be the start of a somewhat rare occurrence – mother and daughter both winning on the same day.

The double was Graham’s second for the year – Rose Bay and See Nitro successful on February 3.

Also landing her second double this year, this time with Pat The Tiger and Mustang Molly, was Julie Green who trains at Parwan in partnership with her husband Lewis.

Pat The Tiger, a nicely bred daughter of Fernando Bale and Kerrigan Bale – a winner of close to $100,000 in stakemoney – took the lead turning for home in the Carlin & Gazzard MG Stake (400 m) before holding out Starlight Tina for a length win in 23.43 seconds.

Raced by Troy Maynard and partners, Pat The Tiger was part of Green’s earlier double this year at the Mount Gambier track when Bourbon Louie was also successful.

Thursday’s second leg of Green’s double was Mustang Molly who had been chasing her second win since August last year when successful in a maiden event over 330 metres at Temora.

The white and black daughter of Fernando Bale and 23-race winner Uno Suzie took up the running down the back straight from tearaway leader Striking Holly in the Bartholomew Pick 6 Stake (512 m).

And showing no effects from a run over 500 metres three days earlier at Traralgon, Mustang Molly strode away for a 3¾ length win over Santino Gold in 30.49 seconds.

Green, who arrived in Australia from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia back in 2009, has now been training greyhounds for close to 12 months.

For Pirate Paddy, an all the way winner of the Hyland Fox Maiden Stake (400 m) in 23.41 seconds, it’s been a case of returning to where it all began – Ecklin South and trainer Peter Fulton.

By Mepunga Blazer out of You Rippa Pippa, who won nine races and $22,000 in stakemoney, Pirate Paddy, who is raced by the Darren Wright-managed DJS Syndicate, was bred, reared and broken-in by Fulton.

Prior to Thursday, the white and black dog had raced on only two occasions at Broken Hill in April before finding his way back to Fulton – well acquainted with the line – at the end of the month.

“Yes, I’ve had a bit to do with the breed, having trained You Rippa Pippa’s litter brother Mick’s Advice throughout his 59-start career for 10 wins and $44,000 in stakemoney,” he said.

Fulton’s last winner at Tara Raceway had been back in January with Joffa’s Liberty.

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Jason Newman, of Moorak, has done pretty well with Departure Gate since taking over the black dog in November from Trott Park trainer Damien Bates after he temporarily transferred to WA.

Raced by Bates’ mother-in-law, Sharyn McSorley, Departure Gate has won 12 races since relocating – 10 at Tara Raceway and two at Angle Park over 530 metres and 595 metres.

Actually, from a feature race point of view, it’s been a really good year for Newman and his partner Melissa Freitag.

Strike Eagle won the Sims Family Memorial Maiden (512 m) back in January. Then Departure Gate, after a keen battle with Midnight Blast, won the Thrift Shop Tara Tipsters Open (512 m) in March in a quick 29.53 seconds.

Come Mount Gambier Cup time in early April, Newman’s son of Fernando Bale and Tarks Nemesis was the first greyhound through to the Group 3 final when he defeated Devel Sixteen in 29.61 seconds.

The trainer’s reaction to having a cup finalist was significant. Not quite on a par with the celebrations of the following week, though, when Departure Gate narrowly defeated Weblec Ranger to win the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s richest-ever race.

So after a training career spanning only a couple of years, the names of Jason Newman and his greyhound were set to appear on the club’s honour board.

Already on that honour board was a greyhound called Monstropolis, winner of the Mount Gambier Cup in 2003 for Michael Niele of Berringa. Also on track that day was his 7-year-old daughter Michelle. And over the years she would accompany her father on many occasions to Tara Raceway.

After Michelle died from cystic fibrosis in November 2019, her father approached the MGGRC with a view to running an annual Michelle Niele Memorial at Tara Raceway.

First conducted in 2021, it was decided to run the memorial as a dual challenge series – the first week over 512 metres and the final a week later over 600 metres. The inaugural winner was the Tracie Price trained Golly Gumdrops.

The Price-trained Giant’s Flash, track record holder over both distances, certainly looked the one to beat in this year’s series. And in the first round he defeated Departure Gate by two lengths in 29.59 seconds.

But Sunday’s middle-distance race saw Departure Gate defy the opposition to run him down – Rhonda Lily giving plenty of cheek before finishing a 2¼ length second. Her kennelmate Giant’s Flash, after enjoying little luck early, was a further 2½ lengths back in a time of 34.92 seconds.

Handling the presentation was Kevin “KD” Douglas, whose association with the Niele family goes back a long way.

And speaking at the presentation, Newman said it was a real honour to have won the Michelle Niele Memorial.

“I never had the pleasure of meeting Michelle,” he said. “But judging by the comments of people who did know her she must have been a wonderful person.

“Also, I would like to thank Michael and Vicki Niele for their continuing support of the memorial.”

The three placegetters from Sunday’s memorial final will contest heats of the Shane McQueen (595 m) at Angle Park on Thursday night. The $14,275 final will be held on Thursday, June 2.

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Trainer Brian Weis probably had his heart in his mouth at Sunday’s meeting when Agent Meatball went straight to the front in the Progreyhoundtips.com Maiden/One Win Stake (512 metres) before opening up a big break.

After all, the black dog had copped 28 days for failing to chase in Hobart prior to making the trip across the Bass Strait to join the Portland-based Weis.

But there was never ever any cause for concern. Chasing his first win, Agent Meatball was always travelling like a winner, eventually running out a 12 length winner over Myola Red Boy in a time of 29.61 seconds.

His time is the fastest run at Tara Raceway by a maiden greyhound over 512 metres since Spring Bridge clocked 29.63 seconds when winning the Produce Store Maiden final at the 2018 Mount Gambier Cup carnival.

For Weis, 2009 and 2018 Mount Gambier Cup-winning trainer of Drone and Xtreme Caution, the winner was his first at Tara Raceway since October 24, 2018 when Teacup Toni and Big Rough had been successful.

By Fernando Bale out of Sweet About Lola, Agent Meatball is owned by Craig and Olivia Alcock who contacted Weis after the black dog copped a suspension in Tasmania.

“I received a phone call from Craig to see if I would be interested in having a crack with a dog that had plenty of ability but also had a few hang-ups,” Weis said.

“Back in 2018 I’d trained a dog for them called Theo’s Thunder who won six races at Mount Gambier, Horsham and Angle Park while I had him.

“I’m glad now that I took a punt on Agent Meatball. While he may have a few issues, he certainly showed on Sunday that he can run a bit.”

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Dita Mitchell, after several months of being based at Murray Bridge, made a successful return last Thursday to Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway.

Now back residing in Tarpeena, Mitchell had NSW-bred greyhound Fort Kembla engaged in the Trackside Meats 1-4 Wins Stake (400 metres). And the black dog quickly found the front from box one before running away to a 4¾ length win over Cadillac Patch in 23.39 seconds.

By Banjo Boy out of eight-race winner Angel Ice, Fort Kembla won four races at Wagga and Goulburn before finding his way down to Victoria where Darren Petersen of Craigieburn had him for four race starts.

But according to Mitchell, Petersen, who races occasionally at Mount Gambier, had been experiencing a few problems with Fort Kembla when it came to the catching pen at the conclusion of his races.

“He’s such a lure-focused dog that he escaped the catching pen at Bendigo and had been issued with a warning on that occasion. Then, more recently, he did the same thing at Shepparton and was required to run a satisfactory trial and not escape the catching pen in order to pass,” she said.

“Having raced greyhounds at Mount Gambier, Darren then rang me to see if I would be interested in Fort Kembla as a giveaway. He believed the finish-on-lure and no catching pen at Tara Raceway could be a good fit for him.”

Fort Kembla is now raced by the locally-based Rise N Shine Syndicate which is managed by John Podgorski. Last year they were successful with Cawbourne Nosey and Cawbourne Shiny – also trained by Mitchell who was full of praise for the syndicate members.

“The syndicate has really stuck by me and I can’t speak highly enough of them,” said the four-dog trainer. “So when the Fort Kembla offer came by way of Darren I asked John if they would be interested in racing the dog.

“Unfortunately, being a Thursday meeting, Tim Dwyer was the only syndicate member on course. But they were all thrilled with the win so hopefully he can now go on and win more races.”

Meanwhile, another giveaway in Oogway, the greyhound who gave Tea Tree Gully owner-trainer Ashleigh Kay her first winner when successful at Tara Raceway back in March, made it consecutive wins when successful in last Thursday’s Winning Post Supplies 1-4 Wins Stake (512 m).

Oogway settled in third spot and it wasn’t until the home turn that he took a rails run that saw him find the front and eventually run out a half-length winner over Mustang Molly in 30.56 seconds.

At the white and black dog’s previous start he had given his 31-year-old trainer her first city win when successful over 342 metres at Angle Park.

Oogway, a son of Fernando Bale x Panda Bale, has been a handy pick-up for Kay given that the rising three-year-old is eligible for SA-bred bonuses.

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Greyhound Racing SA’s recently-appointed Chief Executive Officer, Bodelle Francis, had said prior to assuming the role that she expected to be spending a lot of time getting to know the main stakeholders.

“In other words, I’ll be talking to owners, trainers and members and really gaining a sound understanding of that community, which obviously is the fabric of the code,” she said.

And it didn’t take the CEO long to find her way down to Mount Gambier. Accompanied by GRSA Chief Operating Officer, Gavin Bosch, Ms Francis met with Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club representatives on Monday.

While the main topic of discussion was in relation to the forthcoming patrons’ facility refurbishment at Tara Raceway, there were other matters that were brought to the attention of the GRSA representatives.

A shortage of local trainers was of some concern although the club had installed dual slipping tracks in order that people in built-up areas looking to train have somewhere to exercise their greyhounds.

It was suggested that a stronger GAP (Greyhounds As Pets) presence in the district may help to free up racing kennels.

It was also suggested that since the introduction of G-SIX racing there has been a sense of frustration surrounding six-dog races which also have two reserves.

And in terms of further promoting greyhound racing in the district could the club look at utilising field days and country shows as had been the case some years ago in Adelaide at the Royal Show?

Speaking later, Ms Francis said it had been an absolute pleasure to meet with club officials and to learn a little more about greyhound racing in Mount Gambier.

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