It was back in August last year that Mary Bridget created a huge impression when winning the Winter Classic (512 metres) at Tara Raceway in 29.85 seconds.
A disappointing short stint in Adelaide for local owners Steve and Lee Bartholomew then followed before the daughter of US sire Flying Stanley and Galactic Cat found her way back to the familiar surroundings of Worrolong.
Lining up in last Sunday’s Exchange Printers Stake (400 m), Mary Bridget had not won since the classic. However, she had raced only twice in Adelaide before resuming over 400 metres at Tara Raceway on January 30.
And there wasn’t too much wrong with that run when finishing second to Compton Casey and recording 23.09 seconds.
A week later, though, it was even better. The brindle bitch was never going to be beaten, eventually winning by 8¼ lengths in a quick 22.66 seconds. Not as quick as Minnie Banjo in the following race but the Bartholomews certainly weren’t complaining.
Earlier, the Bartholomews kicked off a successful day with Galactic Anubis opening his winning account for 2022 when defeating Myola Knight by 4½ lengths in 23.27 seconds in the Produce Store Stake (400 m).
By Dyna Lachlan out of Storm Allen, Galactic Anubis was bred at Compton by Robert Chuck who also bred Mary Bridget.
Chuck and Steve Bartholomew combined to win the 2019 Listed Mount Gambier Cup with Galactic Athena, a daughter of Paddy Whacker and Galactic Rumball who is also the dam of Galactic Cat.
“Team Terang” – Mark, Catherine and Christian Roberts – continue to do well at both the Tara Raceway time-graded and Category 2 meetings.
Last Sunday it was Mark who landed a treble with previously “wayward” greyhounds Gold Mate, False Alarm and Hunca Munca.
Former NSW chaser Gold Mate opened his winning account at start number three when running down early leader Rosa Matisse in the Greg Martlew Autos Maiden Stake (305 m) to win by three-quarters of a length in 17.89 seconds.
Then, in the Trackside Meats 1-3 wins second heat (400 m), False Alarm looked anything but a dog that had won only one race from 22 starts. In Roberts’ kennels for only a couple of weeks, the blue dog led all the way for a 5½ lengths win over Smiley Clancy in 23.27 seconds.
And red runner Hunca Munca, who has an outstanding record from box one, railed through on early leader Blake’s Crossing down the back before going on to a 2¼ lengths win in 30.04 seconds in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 m).
Collectively, the Roberts trio has now won 12 races this year at Tara Raceway.
Purdeet owner-trainer Annette Kampman was back among the winners last Sunday when Myola Queen opened her winning account in the Commercial Hotel Maiden/One Win Stake (512 m).
The win was Kampman’s first at Tara Raceway since July 15 last year when Bermuda had been successful over 400 metres.
Myola Queen, who was chasing her first win in 20 starts, never looked in any danger of defeat when leading all the way for a 5¾ lengths win over Saint Ellie in a tidy 30.11 seconds.
Speaking after the race, Kampman, who also bred the winner, said the October 2019 whelping was still learning what racing was all about.
“She’s certainly the pick of the litter of four and as she showed today she can run a bit if things go her way. Also, today was her first time over 512 metres and I was really pleased with the way that she handled herself.”
By Lightning Frank, Myola Queen is out of Pocket Queen, a daughter of Barcia Bale and Crown Poker.
“With breeding in mind, I took over Pocket Queen, a 660 metre winner at Bendigo, after she had finished racing. Last November she whelped her second litter – two dogs and two bitches – to Aussie Infrared.”
Meanwhile, Moorak trainer Jason Newman was among the winners at Angle Park’s Thursday meeting last week when successful in a 595 metre heat with Locked.
Locked, the faster of the two heat winners, has drawn box six in tomorrow night’s $5595 final.
Also at Angle Park tomorrow night is Allendale East trainer David Peckham who has Midnight Blast and Midnight Bandit engaged in heats of the time-honoured St Leger Classic (530 m).
And continuing on in the role of Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club president will be Noel Perry. Joining him on the committee are David Lewis (vice-president), Ruth Lewis (secretary), Scott Blacksell, Jason Newman, Ralph Patzel, Michael Robinson and Mark Dwyer (club manager).