It didn’t take long for Compton trainer Tracie Price to kick-start season 2022. In fact, by the end of January he had trained 20 winners at Tara Raceway.

The highlight of the month was his six winners – an effort previously equalled but never bettered – when Charley Davidson, Compton Fabio, Whole Way, Compton Casey, Minnie Banjo and Compton Ruby were successful on Sunday, January 30.

But on Sunday, March 13 it was Charley Davidson, Warby’s Delight, Gold Comet, Whole Way and littermates Banjo Bert, Giant’s Flash and Minnie Banjo who strung together a record-breaking seven winners.

With Greyhound Racing SA keeping statistics since 2009, Compton Ruby’s win at Tara Raceway on June 23 was acknowledged as Price’s 1000th overall winner. And on Thursday, December 22, Hannah Rocks’ Mount Gambier win was his 200th for the year.

Back on January 20, an unheralded Giant’s Flash lined up in a time-graded 512 metre event at Tara Raceway. His 14 length win in 29.19 seconds was to be the start of a real track record year for Price.

Six months later Giant’s Flash equalled his 512 metre time but not before also running a record 34.69 seconds over 600 metres on April 10. Then, on December 4, he lowered that time to 34.58 seconds.

Minnie Banjo, a sister to Giant’s Flash, became the second member of the Banjo Boy x Navada Flame litter to run a Tara Raceway record when clocking 22.42 seconds for the 400 metre sprint.

And at the end of July, Urana Meat Loaf equalled Lektra Gal’s 305 metre record of 17.28 seconds.

A treble at the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s final meeting of the year last Thursday with That’ll Work, Jayville Zorro and Compton Serena took Price’s tally of local wins for the year to a record-breaking 181.

Winner of the inaugural Ian Badger Leading Trainer award in 2018, Price in 2022 finished 65 wins clear of second-placed Allendale East trainer David Peckham who had been the leading local trainer for the previous three years.

Finishing in third place was Moorak trainer Jason Newman. His 71 local winners were highlighted by Departure Gate’s Carlin & Gazzard MG Mount Gambier Cup win and subsequent 2022 Greyhound of the Year award.

Mount Gambier’s leading trainer award is named after Ian Badger, one of the driving forces behind local greyhound racing in its formative years and the club’s first leading trainer in 1979-80.