Tea Tree Gully hobby owner-trainer Ashleigh Kay made a successful return to Tara Raceway last Thursday when Techno Kelli scored an impressive win in the Williams Crane Hire TG1-4W Stake (305 metres).

At the Mount Gambier greyhound track for the first time this year, she had been chasing her first local winner since May 2022 when Oogway had defeated Mustang Molly and Shim’s Heart in the Winning Post Supplies Stake (512 m) in 30.56 seconds.

This time Kay was down with her whole team – Techno Kelli and Yarramundi Coco – a couple of females by Melbourne Cup winner Hard Style Rico. As it turned out, the pair happened to draw the same race at the time-graded meeting.

But it was Techno Kelli who made Kay’s day when quickly finding the front from box eight before running away to a 3½ length win over Compton Pebbles in a time of 17.92 seconds.

Actually, it was relocation to New South Wales by former Adelaide trainer Vadim Roz that resulted in Techno Kelli and Yarramundi Coco finding their way to Tea Tree Gully in August this year.

“Vadim was moving over Dubbo way and asked me if I would be interested in taking a couple of his greyhounds that had won maiden races over 400 metres at Gawler,” Kay said.

“And I was happy enough to give them a go. While Yarramundi Coco is still yet to win for me, Techno Kelli has since won up the straight at Murray Bridge, Angle Park and now Mount Gambier so it hasn’t worked out too badly.”

Meanwhile, Murtoa owner-trainer Josh McDonald, who reappeared at Tara Raceway back in June, brought up his seventh win this year at the local track when Ragnar Boy was successful in the Progreyhoundtips.com TG1-4W Stake (400 m).

By My Redeemer out of Run Ronnie Run, a winner at The Meadows, Ragnar Boy led all the way when defeating Lorelle Soldier by 1¾ lengths in a time of 23.65 seconds.

Later, McDonald recalled the circumstances surrounding Ragnar Boy coming into his kennels back in April.

“Two other trainers had previously had a go with him but by the time I got him he was pushing 3½ years of age and still hadn’t raced.

“Anyway, I started him off in a 305 metre maiden at Mount Gambier in May and while he’s certainly no champion I’ve had a bit of fun with him at Tara Raceway where he’s now won three races.”

McDonald won his first race at the local track back in December 2019 with Magnet Force. The win resulted in 25 per cent of the prize money being donated to the Wimmera Southern Mallee Rural Outreach program.

By Peter Rocket out of Maisy Mac, Magnet Force was purchased as a pup by McDonald who later named the black bitch in memory of Brad “Magnet” Hall, a mate who had died 12 months prior at the age of 42.

Thinking back to when he first became involved in greyhound racing, McDonald said all he ever really wanted was a winning photograph to hang on the wall.

“Now there’s no shortage of photographs, just a lack of wall space.”