For Robert Halliday of Portland, this year has seen the long-time greyhound trainer also contending with severe health issues. But for all that, he still continues to chase the elusive winner at Tara Raceway.
Last Thursday, after picking up his next door neighbour, John Scholes, the pair headed across to Mount Gambier with High Cube – a more than handy greyhound who, it has to be said, looked to be pretty well placed at the time-graded meeting.
A nicely-bred son of Flying Ricciardo and Miami Fernando, he went into last week’s Icon Signs TG5+W Stake (512 metres) having raced on 27 occasions for nine wins which included a local heat of the SA Country Cup.
And High Cube never really looked in any danger of defeat when leading all the way from box one and defeating Bourne Franky by 3½ lengths in a quick 29.65 seconds.
Training honours for the day went the way of Berringa trainer Michael Niele after litter brothers Nicked Again and Fernando Lee landed a winning 305 metre double.
By Fernando Bale out of Acoustic Lee – a daughter of Brett Lee and a winner of 10 races and $20,000 in prize money – Nicked Again appreciated an inside draw when contesting the Todd’s Photographics TG5+W Stake.
Leading all the way from box two, the Brendan Brady-owned black dog brought up his sixth win from 10 starts over the short course when defeating Flash Gordon by four lengths in a time of 17.43 seconds.
Then, in the final race, the Gordon Refrigeration TG1-4W Stake, Fernando Lee quickly found the front from his outside draw before running out a 3¾ length winner over Good Value in a time of 17.70 seconds for owners Shaun and Terry Wilson.
Back in August, Nicked Again and Fernando Lee had also been part of a winning treble at Tara Raceway with another littermate in What A Wrought. Last week he finished third in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG1-4W Stake (400 m) to Dean Fennell’s Compton Layla.
Rough Girl Ruby, out of the winner’s circle for several months, found winning form again for OB Flat owner-trainer Noel Perry when successful in the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (305 m) and bringing up her third win from 20 starts.
Always on the pace from box five, the white and brindle daughter of Wow and 2021 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year Another Pick took the lead off the back before running out a 4¾ length winner over Maggie May in 17.85 seconds.