For the second consecutive Sunday afternoon, racing over five distances highlighted the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s Category 2 meeting at Tara Raceway.
The 12-race meeting kicked off with the Metal Worx Special Event over 732 metres. And the mid-afternoon Federal Hotel Mixed Stake over 600 metres certainly added to the day.
Back again was Nullawarre North trainer Trevor Steel with Belair Brindle who is trained by his wife Elizabeth for breeder-owner Geoff Wickham of Nullawarre.
By Kinloch Brae out of George’s Fancy, Belair Brindle had raced for the first time locally over the middle-distance journey the previous week when running a 2¾ length fourth to Mundulla.
But last Sunday, despite drawing awkwardly in box six, she quickly found the front before proceeding to open up a handy break over the 600 metre journey.
And on the line the three-year-old brindle bitch still had a length to spare over race favourite One Feather who didn’t enjoy much lucky early. The winner’s time was a more than handy 35 seconds.
Kia Keeping was having her first run over the staying course at Tara Raceway for Hamilton owner Lorraine Goodwin and her son Kyle who trains the daughter of Fernando Bale and Ruby Keeping.
However, she had no trouble in handling the 732 metre journey. Leading all the way from box six, the black bitch ran out a 2½ length winner over the previous week’s distance winner in Blue Moon Marie in a quick 43.25 seconds.
Following a stint of racing in NSW and WA, Kiah Keeping has now won 14 races at Tara Raceway and one at Angle Park since joining the Goodwin kennels.
Wins at Murray Bridge last Friday afternoon with Compton Chinook and Minnie’s My Mum kicked off a big weekend for Compton trainer Tracie Price.
Then, following on at Tara Raceway last Sunday, he dominated the second half of the card with four winners – Jetson, Compton Shelly, Compton Baker and Rocklea Earle.
For Rocklea Earle, a rising five-year-old son of Barcia Bale and Paint Face, the win in the second heat of the Greyhoundtips.com.au Mixed Stake (400 m) was his 20th at start number 102.
A $16 chance in what was a pretty handy field, Rocklea Earle found the front down the back straight before running away to a two length win over Head For Home in 22.89 seconds.
In the first heat, Billy Bust Up and Gus Limes staged a great battle throughout with the former gaining the verdict by a half head in 22.91 seconds.
The winner, a son of Fernando Bale and Arkans Mabel, is trained at Ettrick by Adrien Chevalier who since early August has achieved a fair amount of success at Tara Raceway.
Rob Gore, of Warrnambool, enjoyed his most successful day at Tara Raceway after leading in a treble with Moonlight Haze, Moonlight Grand and Jimmy The Rat.
Moonlight Haze was chasing his first win at start number 14 when contesting the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m) from box seven.
Slowly away, the black dog quickly found a rails run before finding the front off the back. And on the line he had established a 6¼ length winning margin over Bourne Munchkin in a time of 17.73 seconds.
Moonlight Grand was looking to make it two Masters wins in succession at Tara Raceway when jumping from box four in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m).
The daughter of Flying Ricciardo and Mossy Girl settled in third spot prior to taking the lead turning for home. She then held out Cadillac Belle to win by a half-length in 17.66 seconds.
Masters races are for greyhounds 3¾ years and older. Moonlight Grand, an August 2022 whelping, was one of the younger contestants. Her overall record now stands at 75 starts for 20 wins.
Actually, the oldest runner in the race was Kerry Hawker’s Cadillac Belle who finished in second spot, beaten a half-length. She’s a July 2021 whelping with 114 starts to her name and 18 wins.
Bringing up the Gore treble in the Commercial Hotel Stake (512 m) was Jimmy The Rat, the son of Fernando Bale and My Girl Kizzy a litter brother to earlier winner Moonlight Haze.
The black dog led all the way from box one, holding out the Chevalier-trained Miss Chapo to win by a half-length in 30.26 seconds.
And Lewiston trainer Clint Trengove, last successful at Tara Raceway in August over the distance with Nova’s Fern, landed a convincing win with Pretty Esmay.
The daughter of Bernardo and Esmay quickly found the front from box seven in the Williams Crane Hire Stake (305 m) before running out a 4½ length winner over Slippery Gypsy in 17.70 seconds.