Just Johnnie kicked off a successful day for the locally-based Bartholomew family at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway.

Bred and trained at Worrolong by Steve Bartholomew and raced in partnership with his wife Lee, the brindle dog had been chasing his fourth win after returning from a six-week break.

And despite a slow start from out wide in the Cadillac RacingTG1-4W Stake (305 metres), he quickly put himself in the race before finishing strongly in the run home when defeating Shanny Rose by 1½ lengths in 18.07 seconds.

By Blue Moon Rising, Just Johnnie, a February 2023 whelping, is out of Galactic Athena, winner of the 2019 Mount Gambier Cup for Bartholomew and Robert Chuck.

Later in the day, in the Gordon Refrigeration TG5+W Stake (512 m), it was Just Johnnie’s 23 kilogram litter sister Littlefoot – raced by the Bartholomew daughters Elysia Bartholomew and Deb Hicks and trained by the former – who led all the way for a length win over Magic Tom in 30.51 seconds.

Then, in the following race, the Federal Hotel TG5+W Stake (400 m), 16-race winner Unique Destiny overcame a slow start from box four before finishing strongly for a head win over Smart Operator in 23.68 seconds.

Raced by Elysia, Lee and Steve Bartholomew, and trained by the latter, Unique Destiny is another son of Blue Moon Rising but out of Galactic Athena’s litter sister Galactic Destiny – a winner of six races.

And joining litter sisters Galactic Athena and Galactic Destiny with a winner of her own in the Da’Leni Meats TG1-4W Stake (400 m) was Galactic Horizon after the Glencoe-based owned and trained Compton Layla scored a three-quarter length win over Phylloxera Fury for Dean Fennell.

Meanwhile, Warrnambool-based dairy farmer Nathan Kenna, 30, stood in as the lure driver at last Thursday’s meeting for Mount Gambier’s track manager Tim Manterfield who had been in Queensland to receive a Graduation Award.

Manterfield had fulfilled the requirements for Certificate III in Racing Services. The qualification was achieved under the conditions operating in the greyhound code of the racing industry.

Kenna, who had formerly been a GRV lure driver, said he had really enjoyed his day at Tara Raceway.

“I look forward to filling in again here in Mount Gambier at some time in the future,” he said. “My father, Geoff, has raced greyhounds here and he always spoke highly of the track and I can see why now.”

Geoff Kenna is a part-owner of the Colin Kelly trained Miss Mary Jo who reached the final of this year’s Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup (512 m). She also won a heat of the Group 1 Sandown Cup (715 m) and the time-honoured Bayroad Queen feature over 730 metres at Angle Park.

Racing kicked off with a win by Afterglow Girl, trained by Warrnambool Greyhound Racing Club president Rob Gore for well-known Warrnambool footballer Jackson Bell.

Settling in second spot from box one, the black bitch chased Mock Orange until the home turn in the Greg Martlew Autos Maiden Stake (305 m) before finishing powerfully for a 5¼ length win in 18.42 seconds.

Bred by Gore’s wife Linda, Afterglow Girl, a daughter of Cosmic Rumble and My Girl Kizzy’s second litter, was having her first start for her new trainer after previously being trained at Ross Creek by Mark Johnson.

By Mepunga Blazer out of Mepunga Rosie, My Girl Kizzy won 11 races and more than $70,000 in prize money. Her first litter, by Fernando Bale, includes Veronica Lodge (10 wins, $41,000 prize money), Container (10, $60,000) and Pass Mark (19, $218,000).

Maggie May brought up her third win at Tara Raceway over 305 metres for Sandra Elmes and Rick Boehm when successful in the Commercial Hotel TG1-4W Stake.

Away well from box eight, the black bitch quickly found the front and, despite using plenty of the rain-soaked track, finished strongly to defeat Pate Biscuit by three lengths in 18.34 seconds.

By Aston Dee Bee, Maggie May is out of Avatar Minty, a winner of 18 races and $27,000 in prize money when trained by Boehm. His first Tara Raceway winner had been in July 2018 with Avatar Blaze, a litter brother to Avatar Minty.

For Elmes and Boehm the day didn’t start too badly with Mock Orange and Misty Autumn finishing second and third behind Afterglow Girl in the first race. And Miss Majestic was beaten 3½ lengths when running third behind kennelmate Maggie May in the second race.