It’s been a while, but Mount Gambier owner Shane Flink was back among the winners at Tara Raceway on Thursday when Gypsy Tony won the opening event – the Rock’s Tavern Maiden Stake (305 metres).

Trained at Allendale East by David Peckham, the brindle dog led all the way from box one and on the line had 2½ lengths to spare over Stormin’ Frank in a tidy 17.93 seconds.

For Flink, it was a case of not being quite sure as to when his last winner had been. Probably it would have been a couple of years ago with a greyhound called Confession who he raced in partnership with Tarpeena trainer Dita Mitchell.

Confession had previously been trained at Portland by Robert Halliday who, after being hamstrung by border restrictions, gave the dog away in order that he could he continue his racing at the local track.

Flink also has fond memories of another “Gypsy” dog he owned – Gypsy Shane. It was back in 2018 at Tara Raceway that she won her maiden at start number 23 for long-time mate Tony Harding, a Hamilton-based trainer.

By Addis Boy, Gypsy Shane – who all told raced on 91 occasions for one win – was out of Camo’s Prinny, winner of the 2013 Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup for Bernie Rogers.

Flink’s involvement in greyhound racing has been long and varied. It started when he was 16 years old and living in Adelaide with one of the sport’s local identities in Veronica Talbot.

Later he moved to Rogers’ greyhound property at Tahara in Victoria before relocating to Mount Gambier a couple of years ago.

Now, only a stone’s throw from the Tara Raceway track, Flink assists trainers with handling and catching duties on race and trial days. But by his own admission he was missing racing his own greyhound.

“I ended up ringing Bernie who then made contact with well-known Victorian greyhound man Steve Elsum to see if knew of any youngsters for sale,” said Flink.

“Steve came up with a December 2020 unnamed dog that had trialled at Geelong but apparently was not up to Victorian city standard. I decided to go with him and named him after Tony Harding.”

By US sire Pat C Sabbath (KC And All x Operation Scorch), Gypsy Tony is out of the unraced Unique Joy, herself a daughter of It’s A Bird, a Group 1 Bold Trease winner.

And Flink is also back on board with Halliday, having purchased one of his May 2021 Bernardo x Spirited Bingle bitch pups.

A winner of 16 races, Spirited Bingle is by Collision out of Kokoda Spirit, winner of the 2013 Group 3 SA Oaks (515 m) at Angle Park.

“I purchased her as a pup from Robert and he reared her for me. Steve then broke her in, declaring she will win races. I’ve named her Gypsy Chick and Jason Newman has agreed to train her. So here’s hoping,” Flink said.

Meanwhile, the well-bred Shot Of Brandy scored an impressive win in Thursday’s Hyland Fox Stake (400 m) for Portland owner-trainer Nifty Lenehan.

Away only fairly from box five, Shot Of Brandy soon put herself into the race after finding the rails down the back and racing away to a 3¾ length win over Cawbourne Sunny in 23.35 seconds.

By Zambora Brockie, Shot Of Brandy is out of Lektra Brandy, purchased by Lenehan from his brother Phil after winning her maiden over 512 metres at Tara Raceway at start 19 in 30.51 seconds.

A litter sister to Lektra Viki, currently sitting in equal third spot on the Mount Gambier Leading Dams list, Lektra Brandy went on to win a further 15 races, including the 2019 Mount Gambier Anniversary Cup (512 m).

Lektra Brandy has two more litters to follow – by Hooked On Scotch and Shima Shine.