Highlight of last Sunday’s 11-race program at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway was the running of two heats of the 512 metre Ferness @ Stud Stake, for grades five and six greyhounds.
Winning the first heat was the Tim and Don Richards’ owned She’s A Jumbo who is trained at Meningie by the former. A daughter of Bernardo and Rhonda Lily, she was bred locally by Tracie Price and has now won 11 races from 40 starts.
Chasing her first win over 512 metres at Tara Raceway, she couldn’t have been more impressive after leading all the way from box three and defeating Major Queen by 8¾ lengths in a quick time of 29.39 seconds.
Over a number of years Richards has enjoyed plenty of feature race success at Tara Raceway. More recently, in May, Big Diesel won the Autumn Classic (512 m). She’s A Jumbo, a litter sister, had finished fourth in the $10,000 final.
Richards’ involvement in greyhound racing goes back to April 2016. His first dog was Cosmic Wonder who had last won at Cowra in October 2015. He then won four races with him between June and August 2016.
Interestingly, Cosmic Wonder then raced for a further two years without winning another race, eventually retiring after 133 starts and well over five years of age.
In the second heat of the Ferness, Afterglow Girl was back among the winners for the first time since September last year. But, after settling in second spot, she was faced with a fair task early after Aston Deutz opened up a handy break.
However, the daughter of Cosmic Rumble and My Girl Kizzy finished strongly in the run home when defeating the early leader by three-quarters of a length in 29.90 seconds.
Afterglow Girl is owned and trained at Wangoom by Jackson Bell, who ended up with two finalists after litter sister Naturally Girl ran third in the first heat.
Bred at Warrnambool by Linda Gore, who was on track last Sunday with husband Rob, the littermates were reared by Bell who returned to the sport two years ago prior to an absence of 10 years. Last Sunday was his first winner since returning.
Both heat-winning trainers also boast a strong involvement in football.
Richards, back in 2005, coached Jervois to a record-breaking premiership win over Tailem Bend in the River Murray Football League. And Bell, a linesman with Powercor, has played more than 250 senior games with Warrnambool.
The Ferness @ Stud final this Sunday will also carry a Ferness stud service to the winner. By Fernando Bale out of Princess Kiwi, Ferness was a 15-race winner, which included the 2025 Group 2 Richmond Derby (520 m) and more than $177,000 in prize money.
Among the Ferness @ Stud finalists is Major Queen, by Tommy Shelby out of Princess Kiwi, and a half-sister to Ferness.
Cudgee trainer Gary Hunt, whose last winner at Tara Raceway had been in January with Fozzy’s Boy, was back with a vengeance last Sunday with litter brothers Cheer For Ditto and Where’s Paddy.
Chasing his maiden win at start number nine, Cheer For Ditto settled in second spot behind All I Ask in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (400 m) before finishing strongly in the run home for a 3¼ length win in 23.68 seconds.
Where’s Paddy then brought up his fourth win after taking the lead off the back in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (305 m) and running out a 2¼ length winner over Saint Kylie in 17.72 seconds.
And at Warrnambool the following day, another of the litter in Eye Of Storm was successful for Hunt after finishing strongly to win his maiden over 390 metres.
By Paua Of Buddy out of Mayfair’s Dream, the littermates were bred and are owned by Craig Davis of Melton.
Racing kicked off in fine style last Sunday with the Greg Martlew Autos Mixed Stake over 600 metres. And back at Tara Raceway was Kia Keeping after having a crack at a recent heat of the National Distance Championship in Victoria.
It’s fair to say the Hamilton-based daughter of Fernando Bale and Ruby Keeping probably found the Mixed 3/4/5 Stake more to her liking after leading all the way from box four and eventually running out a 6¼ length winner over Blue Moon Marie in a quick 34.70 seconds.
Kia Keeping is raced by the mother and son team of Lorraine and Kyle Goodwin with the latter looking to mate the March 2023 16-race winner later this year with El Grand Senor.
A son of Where’s Pedro out of Elgrando Gold, the 39 kilogram black dog won 35 of his 43 starts for prize money of more than $500,000 prior to being inducted into the GRV Hall of Fame in April 2008.