For promising youngster Minnie’s My Mum it was a case of being in the right place at the right time after April Janssen’s Swift Gift was scratched from box one in the final of last Sunday’s Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.

First reserve after finishing fifth behind Top Cadillac in a heat the previous week, Minnie’s My Mum took Swift Gift’s place in the final. And it was a case of the $2 favourite then making every post a winner when coming out of the first turn in front.

After that the result was never in doubt for Mount Gambier’s leading trainer – Compton-based Tracie Price – with Minnie’s My Mum running out a strong four length winner over kennelmate Wild Star in 29.89 seconds.

But for the Princetown-based Janssen the race hadn’t been a complete write-off after her other finalist, Princetown Flyer, shrugged off a huge rise in class to finish third, beaten 5¼ lengths.

Owned and trained by Price, Minnie’s My Mum’s Christmas Cup win was her second feature race success in December after she had previously won the Summer Oaks (455 m) at Murray Bridge.

Her win last week took Price’s Christmas Cup tally to five after Who’s Doing What was successful in 2014, Fear The Rascal the following year, Golly Gumdrops in 2020 and Mister Banjo last year.

By Beast Unleashed, Minnie’s My Mum is out of Minnie Banjo, who won seven races in succession, including a track record 22.42 seconds at Tara Raceway over 400 metres, after Price took over her training in December 2021. All told, she won 16 races while based at Compton.

Minnie Banjo’s first litter was bred at Pyramid Hill in Victoria by Judith Condo who retained part of the litter of two dogs and eight bitches. All told, seven of the litter have now won races.

Meanwhile, Pat and Patricia Bouchier of Dennington turned the Christmas Challenge, a mixed event over 600 metres, into a real family affair when accompanied by London-based son Geoff, his wife Lisa and 10-year-old twin sons Harrison and Harvey – on track to cheer on Tappet.

And the Bouchier owned and trained son of Tommy Shelby and Kisses For Chloe didn’t let the family down when taking the lead into the back straight from the early leader Ringer’s Girl, trained at Mortlake by Peter Franklin.

From then on the 37 kilogram black dog was never headed, eventually running out a two length winner over Ringer’s Girl in 35.25 seconds. A further length back in third spot was local owner-trainer Robert Chuck’s Blue Phoenix who finished off the race well.

Tappet’s win was his fourth from 22 starts but his first from only two runs at Tara Raceway where his career had kicked off with a second placing over 512 metres in April.

Pat Bouchier, involved in greyhound racing for 60-odd years, still rates his best dog as Beks, who raced successfully over the distance at Sandown Park and The Meadows in 2014 and 2015 when accumulating more than $100,000 in prize money.