Representatives of the Visually Impaired Club of Mount Gambier were out in force last Sunday at Tara Raceway for the running of the Tara Tipsters Cup (512 metres) – the race that precedes a presentation to a local charity of a “giant cheque” from the Tara Tipsters.

With half a dozen local charities supported throughout the year, it’s a case of the 20-plus tipsters involved each donating a few dollars along the way as part of the charity-based tipping competition.

Following the latest competition, Craig Grubb has now joined an ever-increasing number of tipsters to have won the competition. And two-time winner Kevin “KD” Douglas presented him with a yellow Tara Tipsters cup to mark the occasion.

As far as the race was concerned, Honey Rocks never looked like being beaten after quickly finding the front from box eight and opening up a big lead over Malevolent Girl – already a winner of the Winter Classic and the Newman McDonnell Memorial this year.

On the line the Tracie Price trained Honey Rocks, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Rhonda Rocks, had 5¼ lengths to spare in a time of 29.83 seconds.

Owned in Adelaide by Ron Murch, the fawn bitch’s win was her first at Mount Gambier since May when she defeated Weipa over 400 metres. However, since then had won at Horsham and on four occasions at Murray Bridge.

And at Tara Raceway in February Honey Rocks had narrowly defeated Elegant Beamer in the $10,000 Carlin & Gazzard Summer Classic (512 m).

Speaking at the presentation, Joy Axleby, the Visually Impaired Club president for more than 25 years, said the club had helped vision-impaired children and adults across the region for four decades.

“Funds raised at our stalls and through various raffles are donated to visually impaired locals or used to buy equipment for visually impaired children.

“And we can’t thank the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club enough for its continued support. It’s been tremendous.”

The winning trainer also entered into the spirit of the occasion – as he generally does – when encouraging representatives of the Visually Impaired Club to “get up close and personal with a responsive Honey Rocks”.

Last Sunday’s Tara Tipsters Cup was the fifth “Chasing for Charity” race conducted this year. Previous winners have been Aston Ziebell (David Peckham), Cadillac Patch (Captain Abbott), Mary Bridget (Steve Bartholomew) and Lektra Rhino (Phil Lenehan).

Meanwhile, it wasn’t all that many months ago that Sharon Bradley didn’t even know what a greyhound looked like. Then she met up with Phil Lenehan of Toolong.

Now she’s training her own greyhound – Lektra Sam – who lined up from box seven for her first run, and win, last Sunday at Tara Raceway in the Winning Post Supplies Maiden Stake over 400 metres.

While it’s fair to say that Lenehan probably wouldn’t be giving Bradley anything with even a semblance of ability, there’s certainly nothing wrong with Lektra Sam’s breeding – Fernando Bale x Lektra Perry.

Lektra Perry’s a daughter of Destini Fireball and Lektra Angie – a 13¼ length maiden winner over 512 metres at Tara Raceway in a best of day 29.93 seconds in November 2012 and later winning over the middle distance at The Meadows and Sandown Park.

A winner of eight races herself, Lektra Perry is also a litter sister to Lektra Fireball, a winner of 14 races, including the 2019 Border Challenge at Warrnambool.

So while Bradley held the bragging rights early in the day for Team Toolong it was Lenehan who tidied up the day with a running double in the final two races.

Lektra Tinsel defeated a handy field of grade 5/6 greyhounds in the Metal Worx Mixed Stake (600 m) when leading all the way and defeating Oh Louise by two lengths in 35.20 seconds.

Then it was Lektra Vera who surprised in the classy Williams Crane Hire Mixed Stake (400 m) field when leading all the way from box two and defeating Nitrogen Outlaw by two lengths in 22.96 seconds.

Speaking after the last race, Lenehan said Lektra Vera, a daughter of Mepunga Blazer and Lektra Viki, had been sold to Victorian interests.

“We need to keep moving them on given the number of young ones we have coming on,” he said. “Currently we have 15 youngsters going through their paces. They fit the age criteria for the Summer Classic so hopefully some will be back for next month’s event.”