Last Sunday turned out to be a fair sort of day for Compton greyhound trainer Tracie Price and his son Ben when between them they provided five winners at Mount Gambier and later a further four at the Murray Bridge meeting.
Compton Baker, a son of Tommy Shelby x Rock It Barcia and one of the kennel’s younger brigade, kicked off the winning day in the first race, the Metal Worx Maiden Stake (305 metres).
Leading all the way from box one, the June 2024 whelping opened his winning account at his third start when defeating Sally Shine by 2¼ lengths in 17.79 seconds.
Then in the fourth race, the Klaassens Contractors Stake (400 m), it was Compton Copy who led all the way from box one and held out the fast-finishing Swift Gift to win by three-quarters of a length in 23.06 seconds.
On track for last Sunday’s running of the Ryder-Cheshire Stake (512 m) were Matt Dixon, Bernadette Douglas and Greg and Richard Clayfield who represented the Ryder-Cheshire Mount Gambier Home Foundation.
The Foundation had been formed out of a desire to provide a caring ‘forever home’ for people living with a disability in the community. The race, for grade six greyhounds, preceded a presentation to the Ryder-Cheshire representatives by the Tara Tipsters.
This was the third occasion that the Tipsters – a group of Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club regulars who partake in an ongoing tipping competition that donates to local charities – had thrown their support behind Ryder-Cheshire.
Receiving his yellow cap as the leading tipster in the latest series had been Jarrad Williams. He spoke in glowing terms of his friendship with the late Kevin Clayfield, a brother of Greg and Richard and a Ryder-Cheshire resident.
The race itself turned out to be a beauty with Price’s Statue Of Time, chasing his first win at the track, and Penola trainer Stuey Sharam’s Shoot The Breeze matching motors down the back straight.
In the run home though, it was the Justin Tribe-owned Statue Of Time who got up by a neck in 30.18 seconds over Shoot The Breeze who held off Trevor Steel’s fast finishing Belair Crown.
But Steel had to wait only until the next race, the Icon Signs Stake (512 m), for a win when Belair Betty led all the way and defeated Sweet Secret by 1½ lengths in a tidy 29.79 seconds. And Price’s winning margins were going to get a whole lot closer before the afternoon was over.
In the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (400 m), Compton Rocks, a litter sister to first race winner, settled in third spot down the back before railing through on the home turn and eventually giving Price another neck win – in 23.08 seconds.
Come race 11, the Produce Store Stake (400 m), and the leading trainer was chasing his fifth win of the day with Rocklea Earle whose last win had been at Murray Bridge in November.
Lorraine Goodwin’s Lie To Me, who is raced by her son Kyle, did his best to lead all the way while Rocklea Earle, owned by Tracie and his son Ben, gave chase. But on the line the pair couldn’t be split – the time being 23.10 seconds.
At Murray Bridge on Sunday night Price was chasing consecutive Murray Bridge Country Summer Oaks wins over 455 metres after Minnie’s My Mum had been successful last year.
And it was Compton Gypsy, a daughter of Bernardo and Rhonda Lily, who settled early in a mid-race position after jumping from box three. But turning for home, the black bitch found the rails before storming home for a 2½ length win over Find The Sun in 25.75 seconds.
The Price team’s night started off with a win with Compton Chinook over 395 metres in 22.48 seconds. This made for a good day for the breed as she is a litter sister to the Sunday afternoon winners Compton Baker and Compton Rocks.
Then it was Minnie’s My Mum who brought up Price’s third winner for the night when turning in a big run from box four in the Mixed Stake over 455 metres.
Midfield early, the daughter of Beast Unleashed x Minnie Banjo finished powerfully in the run home and grabbed Slick Angel in the shadows of the post to win in 25.79 seconds.
The family’s ninth win for the day was Huntsman, the son of Koblenz x Maddison Kaye well back early in the 395 metre event before railing in the home straight and finishing strongly for a length win over Fantastic Spike in 22.32 seconds.
Huntsman is part-owned and trained by Price’s son Ben in partnership with Tanner Ahl.