Long-time greyhound racing participant Tony Hinrichsen, who trains at Langhorne Creek in partnership with Yvonne King, will be looking to go one better in this Sunday’s $10,000 Trackside Pet Meats Spring Classic (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

Earlier in the year he had Lil Rex engaged in the $10,000 Trackside Pet Meats Autumn Classic (512 m) final. And in what was a terrific race, his future staying star ran a length second to the Tim Richards trained Big Diesel.

Not that Hinrichsen is any stranger to classic success at the Mount Gambier track.

Back in 2016 he won the Summer Classic – now known as the Spring Classic – with Menzel Boys. Then, three years later, he was successful with Balboa Fury in the Winter Classic (now the Autumn Classic).

He had Willalooka Fury, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Pankhurst, lining up from box one at only her fifth start in what was the second of two age-restricted heats last Sunday.

And the fawn bitch flew the lids before running out a 6¾ length winner over Will Jenkins in 29.41 seconds. For greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, 2024, Willalooka Fury gave away plenty on the age scale given her March 8, 2025 date of birth.

Hinrichsen had purchased three of the litter as pups from Victoria for $2000 each.

“Taking into account the sire was Fernando Bale I thought they were pretty well priced. Pankhurst never raced but she was well bred, being by Barcia Bale out of Suffragette, a winner of $192,000 in prize money,” he said.

“And after Willalooka Fury had been broken-in the report was that ‘you only get one like this every 30 years’.”

Two King-owned and trained litter sisters in Autumn Equinox and Summer Fling, who both ran fourth in their respective heats, will join Willalooka Flyer in the final.

The Winslow team of Jon Malone and Aimee Drew will also be well represented in the Spring Classic final with Blizzard Byrne, Will Jenkins and Provisional.

Blizzard Byrne, a son of Tommy Shelby and Mepunga Gem, was bred and is raced by Nirranda dairy farmer Tim Keogh, a great supporter of the kennel, and trained by Malone.

Settling in third spot in the first heat from box one, the January 2025 whelping was always on the pace before finishing strongly and defeating Full Bore Donny by 1¼ lengths in 29.51 seconds.

As far as Full Bore Donny is concerned, the Kevin Iles owned son of Aston Fastnet and Surprising looks well placed in the final. He lacks nothing in experience with 27 starts for four wins and being a September 2024 whelping gives nothing away in age.

Full Bore Donny is trained at Camperdown by Peter Inguanti who has been involved with Iles-owned dogs following breaking-in for the past six years.

“Today was Donny’s first run here and realistically I reckon he should be better for the run when he lines up in next week’s final,” Inguanti said.

And as things stand at the moment, the only local representative in the Spring Classic is the Elysia Bartholomew trained Trackman Tim who finished third in the first heat.

In the race prior, the Sealeys Springworks Maiden Stake (305 m), Inguanti handled Inga Cooper, a son of Koblenz and Inga Luna, for his father Vito and trainer Danielle Keane.

A last start second behind kennelmate Miss Outback, Inga Cooper, despite using plenty of the track, finished strongly in the run home when defeating Black Eye Freddy by half a length in 17.95 seconds.

Millicent trainer Dave Green kicked off the day well with Aston Sushi, an impressive winner over One Feather who only recently ran a 600 metre track record time of 34.48 seconds.

Chasing her first win since the beginning of February, Aston Sushi took up the running down the back before recording a 7½ length win over One Feather in 35.00 seconds.

And later in the day Green followed up with a first-up win with the Geoff Collins owned Cinematic who led all the way when winning by two lengths over Aston Alarm in 17.40 seconds.

“Geoff had approached me a couple of months ago to see if I would be interested in having a go with Cinematic,” he said.

“He said Cinematic was a timid sort of dog and he was of the opinion that the brindle son of Aston Rupee and Cosmic Blend would be better suited to a small kennel environment.

“With only three kennels and two young daughters who spoil the dogs rotten the switch seems to so far have worked well.”