Murray Bridge trainer Damien Smith and his greyhound Apilla have come a fair way since venturing down to Mount Gambier last August to tackle the Winter Classic (512 metres).

On that occasion the daughter of My Redeemer and Rosie Red ran a three length second in the one-off age-restricted race to Bourne Model in 29.91 seconds.

However, the following week he returned with Apilla to Tara Raceway where she defeated Stevie’s Girl and Yadillah Brave in a grade six stake over 512 metres in 30.11 seconds.

Fast forward to this month and Smith was back on the road again, this time heading to the Sydney-based Wentworth Park track for heats of the Group 1 Association Cup (720 metres), a race dating back to 1965 when won by Blue Autumn.

Following an impressive heat win, he then headed back to NSW late last week. This time it was with wife Lauren and kids Stefan, 9, and twins Bentley and Allegra, 5, also on board – along with Apilla and Time To Fire who had drawn box one over 520 metres in the final race of the night.

It’s now history how Apilla ran out a 6¼ length winner over Max Capacity in 41.97 seconds, earning $75,000 in the process and taking her total earnings to $133,160.

Also, in becoming only the third SA greyhound to win the Association Cup, she joined a couple of legends in Ascapella Miss, successful in 1974 for Doug Payne, and Merv Pedler’s Bayroad Queen in 1982.

And just when the night surely couldn’t get any better for Smith and owners Cameron and Yvonne Butcher of Meningie – it did. Time To Fire turned in a terrific performance to win the last.

For the 44-year-old trainer it had been a case of growing up with greyhounds. His late grandmother, Dorrie Smith, a life member of the Barmera Greyhound Racing Club, had bred and reared quality greyhounds on her Riverland property.

Son Ross, Damien’s father, enjoyed much success with the Riverland Belle line which he trained at Reynella where he is still based with wife Bev to this day. And grandma would have been so proud of her grandson’s achievements with his greyhounds.

The Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s Summer and Winter Classics have undergone a change this year in a bid to offset a downturn in breeding which has affected numbers.

Run in January-February and August for the past 10 years, the classics this year will switch to May and November and be known as the Autumn Classic and the Spring Classic.

However, the age restrictions will not change with the Autumn Classic run for dogs and bitches whelped on or after January 1, 2023. The Spring Classic will be for dogs and bitches whelped on or after July 1, 2023. Both classics will be run over 512 metres.

And with Time To Fire whelped in April 2023, Smith said the son of Fernando Bale out of Mallee Dreamer looked an ideal type for the Autumn Classic given that his race record now stood at 21 starts for nine wins.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Grade 6 Stake (512 m) resulted in the three placegetters, from an age point of view, all being eligible for the Cadillac Racing Autumn Classic, $2400 heats of which will be run on Sunday, May 4.

High Cube, a son of Flying Ricciardo and Miami Fernando and trained at Portland by Robert Halliday, brought up his fourth win from 11 starts when taking up the running down the back straight from Vixen Force and going on for a 1¼ length win in 29.95 seconds.

Vixen Force, a member of the successful Bernardo x Aeroplane Rose litter, was having her first start over 512 metres and finished off the race well for Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley when running 30.04 seconds.

Third placegetter Way Cool, a litter brother and kennel mate of the winner, ran a personal best time of 30.15 seconds when beaten by 2¾ lengths.

Halliday is no stranger to classic success having won the 2017 Summer Classic with Hutch who all told won 27 races.

Also no stranger to classic success is Compton trainer Tracie Price who won the past two Summer Classics with Wild Banker and Honey Rocks.

He’s sure to hold a strong hand again this year with greyhounds such as Minnie’s My Mum, a March 2023 daughter of Beast Unleashed and Minnie Banjo who has already won the 2024 Christmas Cup and 2025 Mount Gambier Cup Consolation.

And the good news to come out of Greyhound Racing SA this week is that the Cadillac Racing Autumn Classic final will carry prize money of $10,000.