South Australian greyhound racing took on a new look last week after Greyhound Racing SA had issued uniforms that are now required to be worn by all licensed handlers when boxing greyhounds at Mount Gambier, Angle Park, Gawler and Murray Bridge race meetings.
The uniform upgrade was required to be worn for the first time at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway. All participants were dressed accordingly and it has to be said the presentation of handlers and greyhounds making their way to the boxes was most professional.
And enjoying a winning day with veteran litter brother and sister Bulsara and Time After Time were Meningie-based Tanya Bialek and partner Tim Richards.
Bialek’s brindle dog Bulsara led for the majority of the 305 metre journey in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake, eventually running out a length winner over Princess To Burn in 17.87 seconds.
Whelped in April 2021, the son of Barcia Bale is out of Molly Be Nimble – the daughter of Nitro Burst and Hope’s Up winning 24 races and more than $41,000 in prize money. Bulsara has now raced on 108 occasions for 14 wins and more than $15,000 in prize money.
For Richards, his first Mount Gambier winner had been back in December 2017 with a greyhound called Allen Paul who had defeated his litter sister Oemi Allen – trained at Winslow by Paul Teuma.
And plenty of local success has since followed for Richards with a SA Country Cup win, a classic and memorial wins, and a 400 metre track record of 22.55 seconds by Almighty Stripe in April 2021.
Time After Time lined up from box five in the Carlin & Gazzard TG5+W Stake (512 m) and chased another of her litter brothers in Silk Sonic for much of the journey. In fact it wasn’t until well into the home straight that she found the front before running out a length winner in 29.87 seconds.
She’s now raced on 143 occasions for 28 wins and prize money of $55,400 with Richards saying that he would keep the black bitch racing until the signs were there that she had had enough.
He also said he would like to start breeding some more litters again.
“The past few years have been a real struggle for us due to the number of operations I’ve had on one of my legs as the result of an accident. Hopefully things are now starting to turn around.
“One of our bitches I am keen to breed with is Butter Up Again who is by Aston Dee Bee out of Molly Be Nimble. She’s a litter sister to Rosie Red, the dam of Mallee Beauty, Apilla and Bookaloo from a mating to My Redeemer.”
Earlier in the day Shuffling, raced by Nicole Stanley and Nifty Lenehan, and trained by the latter at Portland, lined up from box one in the Greg Martlew Autos TG1-4W Stake (305 m) chasing his second win in 24 starts.
Settling in second spot, the black dog then finished strongly in the run home when defeating Cadillac Class by 2¼ lengths in 18.03 seconds.
By the US sire Kinda Cruel Red, Shuffling is out of Cryer’s Harper who all told won 22 races and was one of Tara Raceway’s better greyhounds during 2018-19.
Raced by Tom and Margaret Cryer, the daughter of Spud Regis and Cryer’s Midget finished seventh in the 2018 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year (GOTY) behind Jeff Guy’s Paraphernalia and the following year a close second to Captain Abbott’s Black Spring.
Another Tara Raceway regular who has been contending with health issues this year is Coleraine-based Bob Wombwell – breeder and owner-trainer of the successful Sennachie x Serene Rose “Eskimo” litter.
Drawn in box two in the Produce Store TG1-4W Stake (400 m), Eskimo Moana had last won at Tara Raceway back in March as a $50 chance when defeating current GOTY leader Wind Whiskers in 23.30 seconds.
With only four runs under her belt since then, the white and black bitch last Thursday went straight to the front before running out an 8¼ length winner over Quincy Bones in 23.33 seconds.
And Wario, who boasts a 40 per cent winning strike rate, brought up his 30th win from 73 starts for local owner-trainer Kevin Patzel.
The son of Pindari Express and Fiery Crash was only fairly away from box seven in the Quickmix Concrete Group TG5+W Stake (305 m). But he quickly made up ground and finished strongly for a neck win over Energy To Burn and Wilder in 17.53 seconds.