Next month’s 10th Winter Classic, for all greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, 2021, will carry record prize money of $6500.

First run by the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) on August 10, 2014, the inaugural 512 metre classic was won by the Tracie Price trained Stylish Moment (Spring Gun x Nicky’s Moment) in a time of 30.27 seconds.

Price also won the second classic with Cee Me Burst (Nitro Burst x Oh Cee Ya) in 30.31 seconds. And Phil Lenehan’s Lektra Munster (Fabregas x Supreme Vision) was successful in 2016 in 30.89 seconds.

Then, in 2017, the Richard Clayfield trained Solitary Lad (Lonesome Cry x Up And Away), three months after winning the John Reid Memorial Maiden, defeated Xtreme Carnage in the Winter Classic in a time of 30.55 seconds.

In 2018, the Price-trained Smart Knocka (Knocka Norris x Who’s Doing What) took the classic to a whole new level when running a race record time of 29.85 seconds. And two months later, the blue dog won the Adelaide Cup Consolation (515 m) at Angle Park.

Langhorne Creek-based trainer Tony Hinrichsen, still a Tara Raceway regular, won the 2019 classic with Balboa Fury (My Bro Fabio x Lektra Fury) who lowered the race record to 29.84 seconds.

Price landed his fourth Winter Classic winner in 2020 when Our Boy Thommo (Fernando Bale x Scarp Missile) was successful in 30.18 seconds.

In 2021 it was the Steve Bartholomew trained Mary Bridget (Flying Stanley x Galactic Cat) – still winning races on a regular basis at Tara Raceway – who scored a big win in 29.85 seconds.

And last year Lochinvar Cahill (Fernando Bale x Tears Some) was another big winner when lowering the race record to 29.57 seconds for trainer David Peckham who also bred the inaugural winner.

MGGRC president Noel Perry said the Winter Classic was an event that had endured its share of ups and downs over the years given at times the lack of eligible greyhounds.

“For all that, though, the Winter Classic is a race that has been won by some pretty handy greyhounds. With the added prize money this year, we’re hoping to attract a strong line-up of eligible greyhounds from local and away kennels,” he said.

The 2023 Carlin & Gazzard Winter Classic is a non-penalty event with heats being run on Sunday, August 20 and the final on Sunday, August 27.