Locally-based Annegret Zaccardo, a Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) member back in 2021, together with her late husband John and friends Tony and Marj D’Agostino, made a welcome return to the track for last Sunday’s meeting.

And Annegret, who hosted a day at the greyhounds with family and friends, found that not much had really changed since the last time she had been at Tara Raceway – with the exception of the ongoing clubroom renovations, of course.

“This is still a lovely place to come to for a Sunday afternoon catch-up with family and friends,” she said. “And thank you for making us so welcome today.”

Meanwhile, Craig Grubb’s interest in local greyhound racing goes back to the days out at the Glenburnie racecourse during the 1990s when it was bookmakers only and George Kay called the Saturday afternoon Mount Gambier greyhound races on radio 5SE.

“Grubby”, who has been a regular at Tara Raceway ever since, last year made a donation of $500 to the club. Later, the generous donation was put to the purchase of a locally-made wooden table to join several others situated in the front of the clubrooms.

With plaque in place acknowledging the donation, “Grubby” was joined at the table last Sunday by fellow regulars Noel Perry and Michael Robinson, along with Penshurst-based Jack Casey, who came across with his nephew Brendan Casey, the owner-trainer of Flax Mill.

Noel, also the MGGRC president, while seated at the table extended the club’s sincere thanks to “Grubby” for his generous donation and continued support of the club.

And $14 chance Flax Mill, a son of Aussie Infrared and Banjo Lass, made for a good day for the Casey clan when defeating the well-fancied pair of Come On Kilkenny and Zipping Shakira in the Greg Martlew Autos Mixed Stake (512 metres) in 30.23 seconds.

At Tara Raceway for last Thursday’s time-graded meeting was the president’s daughter Nicola, down from Queensland for the holidays and hoping for a big showing from her father’s team of three.

As it turned out the wait was worthwhile after Rough Girl Mel, the last of the three to go around, led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos TG1-4W Stake (512 m) when defeating Moonlight Comet by 2¼ lengths in 30.42 seconds.

Now a winner of five races, Rough Girl Mel, a daughter of My Redeemer and Vossy, takes her racing name from Nicola’s sister, Melissa, while four-race winner and litter sister Rough Girl Slim is named after Nicola.