Coonawarra vineyard manager Stuey Sharam has spent most of his Sundays this year at Tara Raceway where he’s been handling greyhounds for Tracie Price as a prerequisite to obtaining his own trainer’s licence.
Recently he received his licence and promptly fired in a nomination for Donny Rocks – formerly trained by Price – who then drew box eight in the Carlin & Gazzard Stake (400 metres) on Sunday, October 22.
And this was a real family affair. Also on track were Sharam’s wife Pat, a registered participant, and their son Liam who previously had made it quite clear that he would like to see Donny Rocks in his father’s newly-built kennels.
“We’ve spent quite a bit of time with Tracie this year and Liam had taken a real shine to Donny Rocks,” Sharam said. “So when Tracie mentioned this to the owner Ron Murch he generously signed over the dog to us.”
Sharam was chasing his first winner as a trainer since March 31, 1997 – a time when the Lake Terrace East track was still well and truly in its infancy.
Lightning Sal and Racin’ Razzy actually gave him a double that day when successful in heats of the Bookmakers Cup (512 m) in times of 31.06 seconds and 30.81 seconds respectively.
Soon after, though, he hung up the collar and lead – family and employment in the Coonawarra taking priority. Although in more recent times it’s probably fair to say that the occasional visit to Tara Raceway had rekindled the interest to some extent in greyhound racing.
“Things had certainly changed here since 1997,” Sharam said. “Free entry, trainers’ appearance money, no nomination fees and even free race books. And add to this racing twice a week plus a considerable boost in prize money.”
For the record, back in 1997 at Tara Raceway, maiden winners received $100, grade 5 $110 and open $130. And the race book cost $2!
Now, returning to Donny Rocks. The son of Fernando Bale and Rhonda Rocks was always on the pace before taking up the running down the back. And on the line he had two lengths to spare over his former kennelmate Compton Yap in a time of 23.07 seconds.
And prize money has risen a bit in 26 years. Donny Rocks collected $1395 for the open class win.
Young Liam Sharam stood in his customary viewing spot – on the fence, not all that far past the finish line. From that vantage point he’d watched his father, and his mother for that matter, lead back plenty of winners over the past few months.
But none of those had been a patch on Donny Rocks’ win.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, local owner Willie Vossen – a former trainer and Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club committee member – landed his first winner in more than two years when Mr. Tandiki led all the way in the Rocks Tavern Maiden Stake (400 m).
By Aussie Infrared, the white and black dog is out of Tandiki, who won 18 races for Vossen and partners Tracie and Karen Price and Michael Robinson. And Tandiki had been Vossen’s last winner on July 18, 2021 when successful over 512 metres at Tara Raceway.
