Tuesday, January 8, 2019
One way and another it’s been a big week for local greyhound owner-trainer Noel Perry and his wife Heather.
Initially it was as first-time breeders, Baurna Sal whelping two dogs and three bitches to Farmor Las Vegas and then George Regis found winning form again for them in the final race at Tara Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
Baurna Sal, a 30.13 seconds winner at Tara Raceway over 512 metres, boasts an interesting pedigree, being by Spring Gun out of Baurna Molly, a winner of 10 Victorian city races, and a daughter of Baurnahulla Hero x Record Keeper.
By Soviet Ferrari out of Lady Devika, the US-bred Baurnahulla Hero successfully raced in the US, Ireland and Australia while the unraced Record Keeper (a litter sister to 2009 Mount Gambier Cup winner Drone) was by another US sire in Kiowa Sweet Trey out of Beekeeper.
Farmor Las Vegas, a son of Knocka Norris x Farmor Cee You, won 26 races and more than $194,000 in stakemoney.
Noel Perry reported earlier this week that the litter was doing well although he was quick to concede that it had been another learning experience just as it had been when, as a first-time trainer, he took on George Regis back in the middle of last year.
Out of the winner’s list since late October, the son of Spud Regis x Sky Fly High led all the way from box one in the Gambier Vets Mixed Stake (400 metres), eventually running out a 2¼ length winner over Zambora Cash in 23.19 seconds.
It was a good start to 2019 after the previous six months had resulted in the black and white dog winning five races for the Mount Gambier couple and Noel Perry ending the half- year with a total of eight winners.
Meanwhile, Cryer’s Harper, a daughter of Cryer’s Midget, was the first leg of a double for Spud Regis when making it five wins in succession for Tom and Margaret Cryer, leading all the way to defeat Lektra Brandy by 1¼ lengths in a personal best time of 22.96 seconds in the Greg Martlew Autos Free For All (400 m).
Has there been a better winning streak than this since TAB racing was introduced at Tara Raceway back in 2012? Possibly not, although it’s still well short of the SA record for successive wins which stands to the credit of Kate’s A Scandal.
Trained by Howard Gray, the daughter of Temlee x Grotto’s Babe strung together 15 wins on end when winning the 1981 National Sprint Championship at Olympic Park in Melbourne.
In 1988, John King’s Time Machine (Chariot Supreme x Bonus Offer) went close to the record, winning 14 races in a row over 326 metres and 300 metres at Gawler and Port Pirie.
And in 1999, Pinot Noir (Black Shiraz x Jemalong Gold), trained by Kim Johnstone, also won 14 on the trot at Angle Park, Gawler, Strathalbyn and Kulpara.
Earlier on Sunday at Tara Raceway, Cryer’s Harper’s older half-brother Cryer’s Plugger (by Spring Gun) was the first leg of a double for the Cryers after proving much too good in the JB Irrigation Mixed Stake (600 m) for Pool Hall and Goldie’s Run when running a quick 35.10 seconds.
Tracie Price, the 2018 record-breaking trainer at Tara Raceway, also started the year off well with four winners – Shannah’s Gift, Wise Stella, Cee Me Holly and Banjo Lass.
Shannah’s Gift, a son of Fabregas x Shannah’s Star, was having only his 12th start since last winning in May 2018 at Ballarat but ran right up to his encouraging third placing over 390 metres at Warrnambool on January 1.
The 34 kilogram black dog quickly burnt off Coco Suzy in the Winmore Greyhound Kennels Stake (400 m) before going on to an impressive eight length win in a personal best 23.11 seconds.