Monday, January 28, 2019
Former NSW greyhound Jacobite Joseph, after three minor placings at Tara Raceway last year, finally put it altogether for Ararat owner-trainer Paul Hammerstein at last Wednesday’s time-graded meeting in Mount Gambier.
A well-supported $2.10 favourite from box seven in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (512 metres), the black dog rounded up early leader Glenville Callie down the back straight before careering away to a 10 length win over Ballet Creek in a best of day time of 30.19 seconds.
Hammerstein put the impressive win down to better box manners. “It’s the first time he’s ever jumped,” he said.
By 37-race winner Al Moran out of Moonshine Whippy, a daughter of Kiacatoo Pearl (the dam of Shakey Jakey, retired to stud after one record-breaking start over 520 metres at Wentworth Park), Jacobite Joseph is a litter brother to Billy Moran, a winner of three Tara Raceway races in September-October 2018.
Jacobite Joseph found his way down to Ararat after copping a three month suspension for marring at Dubbo in March last year. And while Hammerstein has since also won races with the dog at Horsham, Traralgon, Angle Park, Shepparton and Bendigo he said there had been ongoing starting box issues which he hoped had now been resolved.
“The trouble was he was getting his muzzle off in the boxes and this in turn was causing a few problems in the catching pen,” he said.
“In the end, Greyhound Racing Victoria ruled that Jacobite Joseph would be required to race in what is known as a three-bar anti-aggression muzzle.
“Made by Miller’s Muzzles, this seems to have done the trick because the muzzle is now still on him when he’s completed the race.”
But come Saturday night at Horsham and Jacobite Joseph’s better box manners had once again deserted him when he made a real mess of the start in a grade five 485 metre event.
He had no trouble finding the fence from box three, though, railing throughout and taking the lead in the home straight before charging away to a 4½ length win in 27.67 seconds – race caller Paul Hammond describing the effort as herculean.
And Billy Moran, trained by Hammerstein’s father, Doug, wrapped up a good night for the family when winning the last – a grade five event over 410 metres.
Gitcha Loaded’s win in last Wednesday’s Klaassens Contractors Maiden Stake (512 m) made for a better day for Rockbank trainer Lewis Green after the Healesville meeting on the Friday prior when he was hit with three late scratchings for weight variation and a $300 fine to go with it.
“It was just one of those days,” he said. “I was attending a funeral and sent the dogs to Healesville with another trainer only to be informed later that Galactic Cheetah, Dee Jakit and Damo’s Pineapple had all been scratched.”
By Tomac Bale out of Rose Buzzard, a winner of 14 races over 400 metres at the Gardens and Gosford, Gitcha Loaded was purchased in November by Green after the black and white dog had commenced his racing career at Ipswich.
“Initially we had a few injury problems with him but now that he’s been able to put a few runs together hopefully he will continue to improve,” said Green, who currently has 15 dogs in work.
Gitcha Loaded, who was whelped in April 2016 and has now raced on 10 occasions, was his trainer’s second winner at Tara Raceway, Dee Jakit successful back in November.
Fantastic Fox ran Gitcha Loaded to a head for Winslow trainer Paul Teuma whose last winner had been at Tara Raceway with Clyde’s Girl back in July last year.
But Teuma turned the tables in the following event, the Winningformula.net.au Maiden Stake (400 m), when Chelsea Road defeated the Green-trained Walk With Yessam by 1½ lengths in 23.85 seconds.
By Oaks Road out of Cawbourne Pilfer, a winner of eight races in New Zealand, the pint-sized Chelsea Road was picked up by Teuma as a giveaway from NSW 12 months ago.
Training honours for the day went the way of Wade Green, who, after a time-graded double on January 9 followed up with a treble last Wednesday with virtual all the way winners Janray Mazel Tov, Tron’s Empire and Raloo Barbara.
It was another big day for the Rockbank-based Green who on November 30 last year had a real day out when training five winners – Janray Mazel Tov, Buzz Off Mumma, Conde, Nitro Heroine and Tron’s Empire – at his first visit to Tara Raceway.
Meanwhile, leading trainer Tracie Price of Compton landed doubles on two tracks – Mount Gambier and Murray Bridge – on Sunday.
Shannah’s Gift finished too strongly for Azumi Striker and Another Scenario in what was an impressive win by 4¾ lengths in 23.28 in the Winningformula.net.au Stake (400 m) while Whatta Knocka led all the way for a 23.08 seconds five length win over Cryer’s Harper in the Australia Day Open Stake (400 m).
Later, Price tasted success for the first time at Murray Bridge’s new track when Wise Stella and Maunganui Magic were successful in 395 metre events.