Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club

Tara Raceway, Lake Terrace East, Mount Gambier, SA

Major Sponsors

Cadillac Racing Sponsors of Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing

Abbott chasing a change of luck in upcoming classic

Handler Kerry Hawker and Top Cadillac are joined by Johnny, Jovan, Wiremu, Kahu and Sandra after the running of the Metal Worx Stake (600 m) last week at Tara Raceway.

Edenhope trainer Cap Abbott will be hoping for a change of luck with his promising youngster Top Cadillac in the forthcoming age-restricted Summer Classic (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

Purchased as a 10-month-old pup from NSW breeder James McJannet, the black dog is a half-brother to former top SA stayer Sir Truculent who raced on 128 occasions for 46 wins and more than $440,000 in prize money.

Incidentally, Sir Truculent – by SA sire Worm Burner – ended his career at five years of age at Tara Raceway on March 26 this year when defeating Blazing Beth over 732 metres in 43.56 seconds.

By Feral Franky out of Establish, Top Cadillac brought up his eighth win at Tara Raceway when leading all the way last week in the Metal Worx Stake (600 m) and defeating Ebby Justice by a length in 35.36 seconds.

Back in August he gave a great sight in the Winter Classic (512 m). At only his fourth race start, Top Cadillac won a heat in 29.86 seconds before running a luckless 1½ length second in the final won by Malevolent Girl.

“For a dog so young and inexperienced I thought he handled himself pretty well in the Winter Classic,” Abbott said. “It was an age-restricted event for dogs and bitches whelped on or after July 1, 2021 so he was giving away a bit in age.

“However, with the Summer Classic being for dogs and bitches whelped on or after January 1, 2022, Top Cadillac will be giving away nothing in age given that he was whelped in the January.”

Abbott said he was now looking at probably keeping Top Cadillac over 512 metres at Tara Raceway for the time being with the Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup heats and final coming up on December 10 and 17.

“I have tried him at a couple of other tracks but it seems he really needs to have a few runs on a track before he’s comfortable with the surroundings.”

Heats of the 2024 Carlin & Gazzard Summer Classic (512 m) will be run on Sunday, January 14 with the final a week later. This will be part of the Greyhound Racing SA Festival of Fun promotion which will incorporate all SA tracks during January.

The four tracks will each run a feature race to coincide with the Festival of Fun. The Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s feature will be the Summer Classic and carry prize money of $10,000.

This will mark the second year the Summer Classic final has carried $10,000 in prize money. The 2023 classic was won by the Tracie Price trained Honey Rocks who defeated Adelaide trainer Richard Stasiak’s litter brothers Elegant Beamer and Elegant Bix in 29.81 seconds.

And getting up close and personal with Top Cadillac after his most recent win were Johnny, Jovan, Wiremu and Kahu – New Zealand shearers working in Mount Gambier and enjoying their first time at the dogs. As was Sandra who joined in for the photo.

Top Cadillac defeating Ebby Justice and Send It Blue (No. 6) in the Williams Crane Hire Stake (600 m).
Scroll to Top