Dev, assistant manager of Commercial Street East’s Federal Hotel, was recently out at Tara Raceway for a Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s Sunday race meeting where he caught up with some of the hotel’s regulars.

A group of Federal Hotel regulars are involved in a rewards card scheme whereby proceeds go to the local greyhound club. An appreciative MGGRC president Noel Perry said the scheme was working very well.

“Also, the Pick 5 Punters Club is in operation every Sunday afternoon at the Federal Hotel. With an entry fee of $5, patrons are required to pick the winners of the last five races at Tara Raceway,” he said.

“The winner or winners take the pool and also receive four $50 hotel vouchers.”

Dev also took the opportunity to catch up with Culburra, a brilliant winner of the Federal Hotel Stake (400 metres) in 23.05 seconds for Murray Bridge East trainer Damien Smith and Meningie owners Cameron and Yvonne Butcher.

Meanwhile, the MGGRC’s long-running weekly free Pick 6, sponsored by Tracie and Karen Price of Trackside Pet Mets, is proving to be elusive for Sunday’s on-course patrons given that it’s now been 12 months since it had last been won.

Commencing at $100 and jackpotting each week by $10 until reaching $500, the Pick 6 was last won by Glenroy-based Richard Clayfield after Compton Wink, Pat The Rat, Mr. Deeds, Mary Bridget, Mason Lava and Hooked On Love were successful in races three to eight.

For Clayfield, the win had come after 26 years of incorrect entries.

Incidentally, Tracie Price enjoyed a successful day last Thursday at Tara Raceway with Compton Wink and Lakeview Heather and later at Warrnambool with Wild Banker and Bad Move.

Compton Wink, after overcoming a slow start in a TG1-4W stake (400 m), railed through to take the lead off the back before running home strongly for a three length win over Is He Lucky in 23.46 seconds.

And Lakeview Heather led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (512 m) for a 4¼ length win over Classy Shot in 29.90 seconds.

Then, at Warrnambool, Wild Banker led all the way over 450 metres to win in 25.45 seconds and Bad Move, after racing wide turning for home, scored a narrow 390 metre win in 22.17 seconds.

Also, two locally-owned greyhounds in Yoda Lady and Huntsman are through to the $7500 final of the Kings & Queens (530 m) at Angle Park on Thursday night.

Yoda Lady, a daughter of Blazin Wildfire and Galactic Athena, and owned at Worrolong by Steve and Lee Bartholomew, ran a 2½ length third to Lenny’s Honey in the Queens heat in 30.59 seconds.

Huntsman, a son of Koblenz and Maddison Kaye, is raced by Compton owner Robert Chuck who in July sent the fawn dog to trainer Manuel Stuppos, also the breeder of the litter.

He finished strongly in the Kings heat for a 4¼ length third in 30.37 seconds behind Nowhere Man – both heat winners littermates to Huntsman and based at Strathalbyn with Manuel and Debbie Stuppos.

And following the box draw for the final, both Huntsman and Yoda Lady look to have done pretty well and will jump from boxes one and two respectively.