Local trainer Jason Newman’s association with Victorian breeder and owner Trevor Rhodes goes back to July 2022 and a greyhound called Wind Burn Flash – a daughter of Worm Burner and 2015 Group 2 WA Oaks winner Real Flash.
She had won her first three races in WA at Mandurah over distances ranging from 302 metres to 400 metres prior to finding her way down to the South East and Newman’s Moorak kennels. A further 18 wins were to follow at Mount Gambier and Angle Park, ranging from 400 metres to 732 metres.
Fast forward to November 2024 and through the Rhodes connection Newman had taken over the training of littermates Prickle Town and Wind Whiskers, both of whom had previously raced on several occasions at Temora and Wagga.
By Beast Unleashed, the brother and sister are out of Takers To Vegas, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and a winner of 13 races in WA and one at Traralgon.
But, according to Newman, the relocation of the pair hadn’t been without its share of drama.
“Prior to racing here, Prickle Town had been required to run a satisfactory trial which didn’t work out that well when he tore a back muscle in running. Then it wasn’t until February that he returned and received the all clear with a run of 29.89 seconds for the 512 metres.
“And Wind Whiskers won a couple of races over 400 metres and 305 metres in January. She was then off the scene for a couple of months before winning over 512 metres and then running second to Got The Cash in a heat of the Mount Gambier Cup.”
Come last Sunday and Prickle Town and Wind Whiskers lined up in heats of a grade five series over 512 metres.
Prickle Town went into the first heat from box seven with three consecutive wins to his name. And the fawn and white dog continued the winning streak when virtually leading all the way for a 3½ length win over Bourne Franky in 30.18 seconds in the Produce Store Stake.
In the other heat, the Winning Post Supplies Stake, it was Aston Jimena who was run down in the shadows of the post by Wind Whiskers, the black bitch scoring by a nose in 30.36 seconds.
For Newman and his partner Melissa Freitag it was another good day after Come On Kilkenny kicked off proceedings with a two length win over Lochinvar Pearl in 23.20 seconds. Collectively, the pair has now accumulated 27 wins this year at Tara Raceway.
