For Meningie breeder-trainer Tim Richards it was another rewarding day on Thursday at Tara Raceway after brothers Jervois Bruit and Almighty Stripe brought up a running double for the Fabregas x Spicy Peppa litter.
This was the second double in the space of a month at the local track for the August 2017 litter, Jervois Bruit and Jervois Boy successful on July 16 – the latter impressing with a best of day 512 metres win in 29.82 seconds.
Jervois Bruit, aided by a quick 10.68 seconds first split, led all the way in Thursday’s Winningformula.net.au Open Stake (400 m), holding out Exciting Times to win by three-quarters of a length in 23.10 seconds.
And Almighty Stripe, having his first look at the track, couldn’t have been more impressive in the Bourne Kennels Stake (400 m) when defeating Sol’s Buddy by eight lengths in 22.88 seconds.
The black dog’s time was the fifth-fastest at Tara Raceway this year, Dyna Carnie early in the year running a track record 22.74 seconds and then following up with a 22.87 seconds win a week later. Squishy Pea ran 22.75 seconds in June and Dyna Alistair 22.83 seconds back in March.
Raced by Richards in partnership with his sister, Sheree Hayes, Almighty Stripe was having his first race start in more than two months. His delighted trainer later confirmed he would contest Sunday week’s Mount Gambier Cup heats along with Jervois Boy.
A half-sister to former SA champion sprinter Worm Burner, Spicy Peppa, herself successful on 25 occasions, has now produced 88 winners from her mating to Fabregas.
At 27 kilograms there’s not a lot of him but the Lisa Rasmussen trained He’s All Ours showed plenty of fight on Thursday when leading all the way to win the Produce Store Stake (400 m) by two lengths over Slick Fernando in 23.21 seconds.
By Barcia Bale, he’s out of She’s A Looper, a 22-race winner and a litter sister to Worm Burner.
And Aston Hayato, winner of the Gambier Vets Stake (400 m) in a tidy 23.18 seconds, is one greyhound that has really turned his fortunes around.
The son of Fernando Bale and Sandown Park winner Aston Shiraz really didn’t give his maiden opposition a look in. He flew the lids from box four, posted a 10.62 seconds first split and then tore away for a nine lengths win.
According to Allendale East trainer David Peckham the effort had been a far cry from not so many weeks ago when first arriving from Victoria.
“The word was that he had absolutely no interest in being a racing greyhound,” Peckham said. “And that was certainly the case when we initially attempted to put him through his paces.
“In the early stages he showed absolutely no inclination to chase the lure. Even when we finally got him to the stage of boxing he would go about half-way before pulling up.”
By the end of July, though, Aston Hayato had raced on a couple of occasions, showing plenty of early dash to finish in the placings. Both efforts suggesting a win for high-profile owner Ray Borda wasn’t too far away.
The win was the start of another big day for Peckham after Double Vision, Connie’s Entity, Zipping Dodge and Silent Jacko brought up the leading trainer’s third bag of five winners this year at Tara Raceway.