Terang greyhound trainer Mark Roberts kicked off a good day at Tara Raceway last Thursday when his first starter Bragging Rights scored an impressive win in the Quickmix Concrete Group Maiden Stake over 305 metres.
Bred and owned by Roberts’ wife Catherine, the February 2024 black dog was fairly away from box eight but quickly took up the running before scoring a convincing five length win over Misty Autumn in 18.09 seconds.
Bragging Rights is by the US sire Kinda Cruel Red, who won 32 AA races at Wheeling and was in the 2016 All American team. His dam, Nyssa’s Girl, raced on 128 occasions for 11 wins and 34 minor placings. She ended her racing career in the Roberts kennel where she won her final eight races.
The litter produced four dogs and four bitches with Bragging Rights and the still to race Collective Kaos the only two to have so far been named.
Later in the day, Aston Blend, raced by Mark Roberts and trained by his son Christian, brought up his first win for the pair since being taken over last month.
Away only fairly from box two in the Icon Signs TG5+W Stake (305 m), the son of Hooked On Scotch and Aston Glow quickly threw out the challenge to tearaway leader Kerry’s Cadillac before grabbing a half head victory in 17.72 seconds.
Then it was a switch to the Warrnambool night meeting for the Roberts kennel with Patriot Millard who was engaged over 390 metres in race 11.
And the son of Aussie Infrared and Patriot Tubman quickly found the front from box four when bringing up his fourth win at the track and in doing so wrapping a big day for Mark Roberts and the Terang team.
It was back at the end of January that first-starter Ralph The Rat – owned and trained at Heathmere by Garry Marshman – had won his maiden race at Tara Raceway over 305 metres in a time of 18 seconds.
Bred by his owner-trainer, Ralph The Rat is by Kuro Kismet, a winner of 14 races and more than $220,000 in prize money, out of giveaway greyhound Crazy Old Duck, also trained by Marshman and a winner of nine races at Mount Gambier, Warrnambool and Horsham.
Following a six-week break from the track, the pair was back at Tara Raceway last Thursday with Ralph The Rat chasing his second win at start number 10 in the Sealeys Springworks TG1-4W Stake (305 m).
And although only fairly away from box one, the black dog settled in third spot behind Puddin’ Cake before taking the lead turning for home and running out a 1¾ length winner in 18.07 seconds.
It didn’t take long for Millicent schoolteacher-come greyhound trainer Dave Green to generate a return with his latest acquisition – Aston Sushi, a March 2023 daughter of Aston Fastnet and Aston Sakura.
“It’s not that we have a lot of room on our Millicent property to keep greyhounds,” Green said. “But there had been one kennel empty and after talking with Warrnambool trainer Dustin Drew he had suggested one of his Ray Borda-owned dogs could be suited to racing in Mount Gambier.
“Aston Sushi won her maiden over 390 metres at Ballarat in May with Dustin suggesting she may be better suited over a bit more ground given how a couple of her littermates had performed.”
Her first local start for Green resulted in her running second to Eric Quirk over 400 metres in 23.61 seconds. Then, last Thursday, after settling in second spot in the Williams Crane Hire TG1-4W Stake (400 m), she finished strongly when defeating Bomb Rocky by two lengths in 23.58 seconds.
Last Wednesday at The Meadows, Aston Sushi’s litter brother Aston Pratt won over 600 metres and the following night another littermate in Aston Barton was successful over 715 metres at Sandown Park.
Meanwhile, Bomb Rocky, who carries the imported lines of Ballymac Bolger and JD Bombshell, has won three races at Tara Raceway for Bendigo trainer Aaron Blake.
Later on Thursday, Bomb Luca, by Fernando Bale and an older half-brother to Bomb Rocky, made his Tara Raceway debut for Compton trainer Tracie Price in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (512 m).
And the brindle dog never looked in any danger of defeat when leading all the way from box four and running out a 5¾ length winner over Littlefoot in 29.64 seconds – a time usually reserved for Sunday meetings.