Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Last Friday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway turned out to be a big day for the Dunolly training team of Richard Boehm and Sandra Elmes and also for Kath Brooks of Rupanyup.
For Boehm and Elmes it was their first collective treble after eight years of training together when Serendipity Love and Blondy Two opened their winning accounts at the track while Serendipity Gold led all the way in the winningformula.net.au Stake (512 m) for a best of day 30.13 seconds win.
Bred by Boehm, Serendipity Love and Serendipity Gold are by Kinloch Brae out of the Hallinan-bred Helga (Whisky Assassin x Pacific Style) who won five races on Victorian provincial tracks.
Serendipity Love’s win in the Metal Worx Maiden Stake (400 m) came at her third start, the brindle bitch coming from a fair way back to run down tearaway leader Rogue One and win by a head in 24.05 seconds.
And give away greyhound Blondy Two, after four minor placings from five 600 metre starts at Tara Raceway, finally broke through for a well-deserved win in the Gambier Vets Stake when finishing too strongly for Fire Eyes and Chatty Garry in 35.86 seconds.
By Spring Gun out of As It Goes, a winner at The Meadows and Angle Park, the SA-bred Blondy Two is a litter sister to the former smart type He’s Loaded who won 10 races and more than $70,000 in stakemoney.
Brooks had to work hard for her three winners, litter sisters Love A Chat and Fairground both winning by a head before Ryben Bill worked home strongly to defeat kennelmate Kracka Barcia by 3¾ lengths in the Produce Store Stake (512 m).
Love A Chat and Fairground are by Fabregas out of Lolly Bale, a winner of 16 races and $44,000 in stakemoney, the pair raced by brothers Aaron and Calum Blake under the banner of the Donkey Racing Syndicate, these boys being no asses!
Love A Chat, placed at her past two Tara Raceway starts, led all the way, holding out Chelsea Road to win in 23.84 seconds in the Trackside Meats Maiden Stake (400 m) while Fairground stormed home in the South Eastern Hotel Stake (400 m) to grab Avatar Vixen in the shadows of the post for a win in 23.60 seconds.
Last Friday turned out to be Brooks’s most successful day at Tara Raceway since February 23 when she won with Iroquois Sharman, Call Me Crazy, Stella Story and Annie Bell. But, so consistent has her year been that she is currently in eighth spot in the 2018 Ian Badger Leading Trainer Award with 19 wins.
Meanwhile, Mustang Bay, a winner of two consecutive 400 metre races at Tara Raceway in June, was successful again on Friday when finishing powerfully to defeat Mr Perfect in The Border Watch Stake (400 m) for Koroit owners Gerald and Carolyn McKenna.
Bred by Carolyn, Mustang Bay, a diminutive 26½ kilogram black dog by Nolen out of Fawn Bay, is now with long-time trainer Peter Keane, also of Koroit, Gerald McKenna adamant that the dog is now in much better hands than when he was “trying to train” him.
Actually, it was a good weekend for Keane who was also successful at Sunday’s meeting in the Rock’s Retreat Stake, the second heat of a 400 metre grade five series, with the Deb Wright owned My Mandara.
Having his third run back after a two month lay-off, the son of Mepunga Geordie and State Chill – 10 kilograms heavier than his kennelmate – settled in second spot behind Cryer’s Harper down the back before finishing strongly in the run home for a two length win in 23.39 seconds.