It was a Greyhound Racing SA marketing local television advertising campaign focusing on racing at Tara Raceway that first attracted Millicent school teacher Dave Green’s interest in the sport.
The TV advertisement had made it look pretty good so Green and his wife Keston set aside a Sunday afternoon and headed to Mount Gambier with their two girls, Kaia and Hadlie.
They then continued to take in local greyhound racing meetings whenever time allowed. And Green said he found it eventually got to the stage that he was looking to become further involved.
This involved obtaining a handler’s licence through GRSA in order that he could ultimately catch and box greyhounds on trial and race days.
“Trainers Jason Newman and Kerry Hawker were terrific. They made dogs available for me to handle and were always happy to answer any questions I had.
“Actually, we’ve found Tara Raceway to be a really friendly place, whether it’s mixing with trainers, staff or patrons,” Green said.
Then, in June this year, he landed his first winner as an owner when Paw Some Shade was successful in a maiden event over 305 metres at the local track.
She’s by Blue Moon Rising out of Dyna Zapto with Green selecting the October 2021 white and brindle bitch when she was a pup.
“I offered Dave a share in one of the pups in return for all the help he has given us on race days,” the Moorak-based Newman said.
And, at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting last Thursday, Green handled Paw Some Storm who led all the way in the Produce Store TG5+W Stake (400 metres) when defeating Curly Fries by 4¾ lengths in 23.39 seconds.
Also on track to witness the win was locally-based Henri Capewell who races the Mel Freitag-trained blue daughter of Bernardo and Dusseldorp in partnership with Liam Mason.
Newman, who trains in partnership with Freitag, said the win had been very pleasing for all concerned given the length of time Paw Some Storm had been off the racing scene.
“We had her being trained for a while with Lauren Harris at Finniss. But after winning two races at Murray Bridge the December 2020 whelping sustained an Achilles injury which saw her off the scene for close to three months.
“Last Thursday’s win came at only her second run back and as soon as Dave’s trainer’s licence is sorted out Paw Some Storm will join his kennels.
“And believe me, he’ll be a welcome addition to the local training ranks.”
Meanwhile, Compton Charlie, a 21 length winner at Tara Raceway at the end of last month, made it three successive wins when leading all the way in the Cadillac Racing Fast Forward final (400 m).
On the line, Compton Charlie, a son of Aston Kimetto and Cairnlea Pebbles, had a length to spare over a fast finishing Cadillac Lloyd in 23.42 seconds.
Raced by Tracie and Karen Price, in partnership with the Commercial Hotel, Compton Charlie is trained by the former at Compton.
The win was Price’s third 400 metre Fast Forward win this year and follows on from Honey Rocks and Jayville Zorro.
