By his own admission, Thomastown owner-trainer Michael Katsiris – back in the game for the past five or so months after a break of 25 years – doesn’t mind travelling with his greyhounds.
At Tara Raceway for the first time the previous week, it was a luckless 10-hour round trip for Katsiris after Clear Girl ran second and odds-on favourite White Surprise finished fourth.
“That was the first time they had seen the track so I nominated again for last Thursday. But prior to that they had both run at Shepparton on the Monday where they finished third and fourth respectively,” he said.
“Then, the next day, I had a couple to trial at Bendigo before making the trip back here on Thursday. The travelling has never worried me, though, even when I had previously been involved. And I’m certainly looking at coming back to Mount Gambier.”
White Surprise certainly benefited from her run at the track the previous week when lining up in the Commercial Hotel 5+Wins Stake (400 metres). Away quickly from box five, she led all the way to defeat Lana Roads by 2¼ lengths in 22.90 seconds – a time more in keeping with a Sunday meeting.
“I was certainly glad to see her stay out of trouble today,” Katsiris later said.
By Mepunga Blazer, the white and black bitch is out of White Ambush, a daughter of White Spyro who won the last of her 22 races at Mount Gambier in July 2016.
A “back yard” trainer, Katsiris currently has four in work – all purchased as performed dogs at around 22 months of age.
“I train them on a walking machine and for galloping use The Meadows slipping track which is only a short distance away. This seems to work pretty well.”
Meanwhile, the Fast Forward 1-4 Wins threw up a more even spread of finalists than last month with the five 400 metre heats all having runners in this Thursday’s $1400 final.
Selected from Worst to Best of this category, the final field is made up of eight greyhounds – those running the fastest times in the heats, regardless of their finishing position.
Subject to Greyhound Racing SA confirmation, the final field will comprise Flatty Hunter (Tony Harding), White Hulk (Tony Hinrichsen), Sugar Boloney (Cristina Gason), Reoffender (Dean Fennell), War Of Words (Jeff Guy), Compton Banjo (Edna Fennell), Striking Holly (Brendan Casey), Johnny Deeds (Dean Fennell). Res. Lubbock Lad (Christian Robert), Clear Girl (Michael Katsiris).