Stepping out over 600 metres for the first time proved to be no problem for the Compton-based Huntsman in last Sunday’s Tankman Dual Distance final at Tara Raceway.

Owned and trained by Robert Chuck, Huntsman led all the way after drawing favourably in box one, eventually running out a 5¼ length winner in 34.93 seconds over Canya Striker with Swift Gift a further three-quarters of a length back in third spot.

The 600 metre final followed on from the previous week’s heats which had been run over 512 metres and won by Huntsman and Canya Striker.

Huntsman, now a 12-race winner, was purchased by Chuck as a pup from breeder Deb Stuppos of Strathalbyn, and reared at Compton. He’s by Koblenz, a winner of 26 races and close to $800,000 in prize money, out of 15-race winner Maddison Kaye.

Canya Striker, trained at Meningie by Tim Richards for Mark Dwyer of Millicent, certainly wasn’t favoured by an outside draw but battled on well on the back of consecutive wins at Tara Raceway.

And April Janssen’s one-race winner Swift Gift, after running a 1¾ length second to Huntsman in a heat the previous week, beat home some handy greyhounds as a $30 chance.

Actually, it turned out to be a pretty good day for Janssen who earlier had been successful with Princetown Flyer in the Todd’s Photographics Maiden/One Win Stake (512 m).

Representing The Tankman proprietors, Allen and Kim Cram, at Sunday’s presentation was Ken Gillespie who confirmed the popular dual distance series would again be sponsored next year by the local business.

Interestingly, Gillespie formerly trained greyhounds – his last winner being Cyclone Bolt in the Metal Worx Stake (400 m) in February 2022.

He also shared ownership of the winner, a daughter of Dyna Lachlan and Storm Allen, with Jack Peacock, Steve Bartholomew jnr and the man of the moment – Robert Chuck.