For the third successive year Tracie Price was recently presented with the Ian Badger Leading Trainer award after accumulating 150 winners at Tara Raceway race meetings during 2024.
And it was a year that ended on a high for Price after Minnie’s My Mum gained a start as a reserve from box one in the long-running Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup (512 metres).
The daughter of Tara Raceway’s 400 metre joint record holder Minnie Banjo then led all the way for a 3¾ length win over kennelmate Wild Star in 29.89 seconds.
Price’s local leading trainer success goes back to 2015, 2016 and again in 2018 when the award took on the name of the late Ian Badger – the club’s inaugural leading trainer in 1978-1979 and later president of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club.
Then in 2022 Price was once again the leading local trainer with a record-breaking 181 winners. However this was eclipsed the following year when he accumulated a tally of 194.
And as is always the case after he receives an award, the Compton-based trainer was once again quick to acknowledge the assistance he receives from his team of valued helpers.
As far as the 2024 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year (GOTY) was concerned, Edenhope owner-trainer Captain Abbott’s pair of Top Cadillac and Mister Cadillac couldn’t be split following the running of the last Category 2 meeting of the year on Sunday, December 29.
Top Cadillic, a son of Feral Franky and Establish, won 12 races and recorded three second placings and three thirds for a total of 57 points. Mister Cadillac (Magical Bale x Koa Lass) matched the score with six wins, 16 seconds and seven thirds.
Abbott has enjoyed his share of GOTY success – Black Spring successful in 2019 and Another Pick in 2021. Also, Kerry Hawker, Abbott’s partner in the Cadillac Racing operation, won the 2023 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year with Nero Valentino who accumulated 75 points.
Greyhound of the Year points are allocated on Category 2 meetings with scoring on 305 metre and 400 metre events 3, 2, 1. Races over 512 metres, 600 metres and 732 metres are scored on a 4, 2, 1 basis.
Meanwhile, Hawker enjoyed a big day at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara raceway when leading in a Cadillac treble with Cadillac Lloyd, Kerry’s Cadillac and Cadllac Landau.
Cadillac Lloyd settled in second spot in the Commercial Hotel TG5+W Stake (400 m) before finishing strongly in the run home to defeat kennelmate Cadillac Patch in 23.33 seconds.
Then in the Metal Worx TG5+W Stake (400 m), Kerry’s Cadillac led all the way for a comfortable 4¼ length win over another kennelmate in Cadillac Girl in a time of 23.38 seconds.
And wrapping up her best day at the track since last September, Cadillac Landau led all the way from box six in the Williams Crane Hire TG5+W Stake for a half-length win over Bourne Franky in 23.22 seconds.
Hawker’s last treble had been at Tara Raceway on September 26 when Pate Biscuit, Kerry’s Cadillac and Cadillac Belle had been successful.L