A treble at Tara Raceway last Sunday with Huntsman, Compton Ava and Compton Shelly took locally-based trainer Tracie Price’s overall winning total this year to 200 – 143 of those wins at Tara Raceway.
Landing the milestone win was Compton Shelly, a daughter of Tommy Shelby and Rock It Barcia who stormed home for her 13th win from 34 starts in the Tara Tipsters Stake over 512 metres.
Compton Shelly never looked like losing, running out a five length winner over Moonlight Nellie, while a further 2½ lengths back in third place was Way Cool in a best of day time of 29.49 seconds.
The Tara Tipsters, a group of local greyhound racing enthusiasts, since 2021 have conducted a twice-weekly charity-based tipping competition at Tara Raceway.
At last Sunday’s race meeting once again the Tipsters had thrown their support behind a local charity. This time a donation was made to the Ryder-Cheshire Mount Gambier Home Foundation.
On track were a most appreciative Foundation board, comprising Matthew Dixon (President), Stuart Stansfield (Vice-President and Treasurer), Bernadette Douglas (Secretary) and Greg Clayfield.
Meanwhile, last Sunday’s meeting – one of the best for a while – comprised 12 races over all five distances ranging from 305 metres to 732 metres.
And the remarkable story of Blue Moon Marie continued when she stepped out over 732 metres for the first time in the Cadillac Racing Mixed Stake for Koroit trainer Peter Keane and local owners Noel Miller and Peter Lamond.
A daughter of Blue Moon Rising and Galactic Athena, this is the dog who fell from a trailer when returning from breaking-in and was later found tied to a farmer’s fence.
Then, after winning two races at Warrnambool, Blue Moon Marie suffered a severe injury which kept her on the sidelines for 12 months. She has now won a further three races since returning to the track earlier this year.
Lining up from box six, the brindle bitch quickly found the front and was never headed when defeating Chantane, who battled on well for Bulli owner-trainer Greg Wilson before going down by 3¼ lengths in 43.53 seconds.
The win of Dorset in the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m) was Penshurst trainer Brendan Casey’s first success at the local track since early May when Penny Pinto defeated Harry Chana over 305 metres.
Having his second race start, the fawn dog jumped well from box four and held a handy lead early before Divine Poppy finished well in the run home to go down by a half head in 17.83 seconds.
By Beast Unleashed out of Our Magic Turbo, Dorset was purchased as a pup and reared by Casey before being broken-in by Peter Inguanti.
This is Our Magic Turbo’s second litter, her first – by Orson Allen – includes a couple of more than handy types in Mr. Fahrenheit who won in excess of $79,000 and Riendo ($87,000).
Ettrick trainer Adrien Chevalier’s recent good run at Tara Raceway continued after Billy Bust Up, a 400 metre winner last month, followed up with an impressive performance over 512 metres in the Federal Hotel Stake.
Raced by Chevalier in partnership with Johnny Watkins, Billy Bust Up led all the way in the grade six event for a seven length win over Jimmy The Rat in 29.94 seconds.
The black dog found his way over to SA through well-known Victorian owner George Farrugia who also bred the son of Fernando Bale and Arkans Mabel – the dam being a daughter of My Bro Fabio and the US-bred Arkans BD Spring.
Belair Betty, trained at Nullawarre by Trevor Steel, won her first race at Tara Raceway this year in impressive style when defeating the front running Compton Lizzie in the Gordon Refrigeration Mixed Stake (512 m).
The daughter of Aston Rupee and Mepunga Bella settled in second spot from box four before finishing strongly in the run home for a length win in a tidy 29.69 seconds.
Glencoe-based Dean Fennell, sitting in second place on the Leading Trainers list, landed a double with half-sisters Saint Kylie and Saint Bree, both of whom had been out of the winner’s list since March.
Saint Kylie led all the way from box one in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (305 m) and brought up her second win at start number 23 when defeating Pretty Esmay by a length in 17.91 seconds.
And Saint Bree, chasing her 14th win, also led all the way in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Stake (305 m) and held on to defeat Harry Chana by a neck in 17.88 seconds.
Incidentally, the Peter Crawley trained Harry Chana’s last win had been in November 2025. Complementing the 119 start veteran’s six wins are now 51 minor placings.