Mount Cottrell-based Paul Cusack, first involved in greyhound racing in 1987, landed his first treble last Thursday when making one of his periodic visits to Mount Gambier for a Tara Raceway time-graded meeting.
Kicking off the owner-trainer’s best-ever day at the track was Quantum’s Dream in the Klaassens Contractors Maiden Stake (305 metres). Following later were Wild And Easy in the Rocks Tavern TG1-4W Stake (512 m) and Life’s Good in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (400 m).
By Spring Gun out of eight-race winner Main Exit, Quantum’s Dream won at her first start when leading all the way from box seven and defeating perennial placegetter Melody Bay by 6¼ lengths in 17.93 seconds.
Giveaway greyhound Wild And Easy, a daughter of Houdini Boy – a Group 1 winner over 650 metres and 730 metres – was a maiden winner for Cusack at Healesville up the straight over 300 metres last month.
Stepping up to 512 metres for the first time last week, she quickly found the front from box two, defying the opposition to run her down in 30.34 seconds when holding out Survive The Fury to win by a neck.
And Life’s Good – Cusack the sixth trainer for the son of My Redeemer x Velocity Breeze – led all the way for a one length win over Bungaloo Josh in 23.46 seconds.
Speaking after his successful day, Cusack said his initial involvement in greyhound racing had amounted to eight years and resulted in moderate success.
“I was then out of the sport for something like 18 years before returning again in 2013. Since then my best dog has been the city-winning Go Quantum, the son of Fernando Bale and As It Goes actually ending his racing career at Mount Gambier with a couple of wins.”
Accompanying Cusack last Thursday was his partner Donna Beasley, also involved with the greyhounds and having trained a treble of her own on October 29, 2021.
“I still remember the day well when Far Out Frankie, Show Me Heaven and Fernando Bubbles brought up a treble at Healesville,” she said.
Meanwhile, Yadillah Lad was the Fast Forward standout when winning the third and final 400 metre 1-4 wins heat by 11¾ lengths over Compton Brockie in 23.06 seconds.
Bred, owned and trained by Robert Halliday of Portland, Yadillah Lad is by Bernardo out of 16-race winner Spirited Bingle – a daughter of the 2013 SA Oaks winner Kokoda Spirit.
Yadillah Lad’s dominant all the way win from box eight resulted in the fawn dog bringing up his fourth win in a personal best time at the track and ensured him of top billing in this week’s Category 2 prize money Fast Forward final.
With the fastest eight qualifiers from the three heats through to the final – irrespective of finishing positions – it was also a case of minor placegetters Compton Brockie and Red Echidna qualifying for local trainer Tracie Price.
The remaining five finalists came by way of the second heat which was won by Hop To who continued Koroit owner-trainer Lindsay Brookes’ good run at Tara Raceway this year when leading all the way from box one in a time of 23.32 seconds.
Also bred by Brookes, Hop To is a daughter of Tommy Brislane, winner of a Group 1 Dapto Megastar and now standing at stud in Mullingar, Ireland.
Brookes also has Hop To’s litter brother More Cash into the final after he finished fourth in the second heat. Making up the final are Cadillac Queen, Gypsy Tony and Just Paddy.
And Gone Away, owned and trained at Allendale East by David Peckham, finally broke through for his first Tara Raceway win following success at Shepparton, Warragul and Angle Park.
Gone Away is by Fernando Bale out of the Tom and Ann Sinnott-bred Rock Away, a daughter of Premier Fantasy and Up And Away, a winner of $185,000 in prize money.
Having his ninth start at the Mount Gambier track, the black dog led all the way in the Progreyhoundtips.com Stake (305 m) and broke a frustrating run of outs when defeating Myola Thunder by five lengths in 17.58 seconds.