Thursday, December 27, 2018
The win of Cryer’s Harper over Maunganui Magic and Ramified in last Friday’s Santa Sprint final (400 metres) at Tara Raceway was the culmination of a big month for Apsley trainer Tom Cryer.
Arguably the most improved greyhound going around the Mount Gambier track at the moment, Cryer’s Harper’s all the way victory in a best of day 23.03 seconds was her fourth successive win this month.
And it was her trainer’s best month for the year – eight winners – which overall took Cryer’s tally for the year to 34, all but one of those being out of his now-retired brood bitch Cryer’s Midget.
By Australian Cup winner Spud Regis, Cryer’s Harper is from Cryer’s Midget’s third and final litter, this year’s leading local brood bitch’s first two litters both being by Spring Gun and so far producing 135 winners.
Cryer’s Harper, whelped in April 2016, kicked off her career with a couple of 400 metre wins at Tara Raceway in March-April this year before a six-month losing streak had Cryer seriously contemplating retiring her into the Greyhound Adoption Program.
“To be honest, I’ve no idea where Cryer’s Harper’s turnaround in form at this late stage of the year has come from,” said Margaret Cryer, the trainer’s wife and also the owner of all the “Cryer” dogs.
“But it is nice that one of Cryer’s Midget’s female offspring has finally strung together a few wins. Cryer’s Harper is by far the best bitch she has produced and perhaps the opportunity is now there for the line to carry on.
“Whether we breed any more litters will depend a lot on Tom’s health as he turns 86 next year. However, we do have a couple of 11-month-old brindle dog pups by Spring Gun that we are looking forward to racing.”
The pups, bred at Compton by Tracie Price, are out of Grimsby Girl (Kinloch Brae x Oh Cee Ya), a winner of eight races and a finalist in Mojito Mayhem’s 2016 Mount Gambier Cup.
Meanwhile, the Ken Gillespie trained Faster Bolt, an unplaced favourite behind Cryer’s Harper after copping an early check last Friday, raced at Horsham over 410 metres on Wednesday.
But the son of Milldean Panther and Galactic Rumball went up with the lids at box rise before working home well to finish a one length second to Agent Voilet in 23.56 seconds.