Long-time Portland trainer Robert Halliday landed his second double this year at Tara Raceway when Wangler and Yadillah Warrior were successful at the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s time-graded meeting last Thursday.

And if you’re wondering what the name Wangler is all about, according to Halliday he inadvertently omitted an “r” when submitting the dog’s naming form which was supposed to have read Wrangler.

But for all that, the black dog made a real mess of the Greg Martlew Autos TG5+W Stake (400 metres) when defeating Pace To Burn by six lengths in 23.50 seconds.

By Bernardo, Wangler – now a winner of nine races from 77 starts, all at Tara Raceway – is out of Spirited Bingle, who won 15 races when trained by Halliday.

His second winner came up in the Icon Signs TG1-4W Stake (512 m) when Yadillah Warrior, after settling in third spot early finished strongly and held out litter brother Yadillah Brave for a two length win in 30.46 seconds.

By Raw Ability out of Sea Mist, it took Yadillah Warrior 18 starts over the distance before breaking through for his first win. And he needed only another week before following up with his second win over 512 metres.

His last double had been on March 14 with Wangler’s litter brothers Yadillah Son and Yadillah Lad.

And as far as the name Yadillah is concerned, it’s Halliday spelt backwards. And that’s something his dogs aren’t doing at the moment.

Meanwhile, Tarpeena trainer Malcolm Keenan’s decision to try for a time-graded race for his 10-race winner Lektra Remi paid dividends last Thursday when the white and black bitch was successful in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG5+W Stake (512 m).

Away well from box four, Lektra Remi was always on the pace and after finding the front down the back she was never headed. On the line she had three-quarters of a length to spare over a fast-finishing Kiwi To Burn in 30.24 seconds.

“She had been drawing some pretty handy races at Mount Gambier and Murray Bridge so I decided perhaps she might be better placed at a time-graded meeting where the opposition is possibly not quite as strong,” Keenan said.

“Now that’s fine but it did take a while to finally get her into a time-graded meeting. And it was nice to be able to win another race with her. Next I’m heading to Murray Bridge to give her a start up the straight.”

By leading sire Fernando Bale, Lektra Remi is out of Lektra Perry, a winner of eight races and was picked up by Keenan as a giveaway from Toolong breeder Phil Lenehan.

The highlight of racing at Tara Raceway during December will be the Christmas meeting on Sunday, December 22 which will feature the 14th running of the Christmas Cup final (512 m) – first run in December 2011 when won by the David Peckham trained Napoleon Wiz.

Winners to follow have been 2012 Lika Gem (Allen Williams), 2013 Bourne Again (David Peckham), 2014 Who’s Doing What (Tracie Price), 2015 Fear The Rascal (Tracie Price), 2016 Glenville Jester (Richard Clayfield), 2017 Hit The Runway (Nicole Stanley) and 2018 Hutch (Robert Halliday).

Then in 2019 it was Squishy Pear (David Peckham) followed by 2020 Golly Gumdrops (Tracie Price), 2021 Bungaloo Anne (John Little), 2022 Aston Ziebell (David Peckham) and 2023 Mister Banjo (Tracie Price).

Other events to complement the Christmas Cup, these days sponsored by Williams Crane Hire, include the Santa Sprint (400 m), Christmas Challenge (600 m), Merry Masters (305 m), Dasher Distance (732 m) and the Peter Whitehead Memorial Maiden (400 m).

And the Tara Tipsters Ryder-Cheshire Home Foundation – Mount Gambier 20-round series concluded last Thursday in what turned out to be a keenly contested competition.

Adelaide owner-trainer Tim Aloisi, a keen supporter of the Tara Tipsters, accumulated 541 points and defeated Greyhound Racing SA CEO Brenton Scott by one point. Falling at the final hurdle and finishing in third spot with 537 points was Scott Blacksell of Cape Bridgewater.

The Ryder-Cheshire Grade 6 Stake will be run over 512 metres at Tara Raceway on Sunday with the winner receiving a leather collar and lead, hand-crafted by Tara Tipster Andrew Earl.

Following the running of the race a donation will be made by the Tara Tipsters to representatives of Ryder-Cheshire.