Monday, November 25, 2019
A blistering 10.59 seconds first split by Cryer’s Harper in Sunday’s Greg Martlew Autos Open Stake (400 m) ensured the daughter of Spud Regis x Cryer’s Midget was always going to be hard to run down as she chased her sixth consecutive win over the short course at Tara Raceway.
After all, her half-brother Cryer’s Ricky (by Spring Gun) had clocked “only” 10.67 seconds when running his still-standing 22.78 seconds track record on Friday, February 19, 2016 for Tom and Margaret Cryer of Apsley.
Ironically, it was Cryer’s Ricky’s win in the 2015 Summer Classic (512 m) – which carried a service to Spud Regis – that ultimately resulted in the Cryer’s using the Group 1 winner as the sire for a third and final litter with Cryer’s Midget.
Cryer’s Harper kicked off her latest winning streak – she had previously strung together five wins at the track in December 2018-January 2019 – with victory over Zambora Club in 22.98 seconds on October 13.
Then followed wins over Billy Deeds, Peek’s Gold, Springvale Alysa and Ramified prior to Sunday’s all the way victory over the consistent Shannah’s Gift in 22.97 seconds.
So, is Cryer’s Harper’s six in a row some sort of record at the Lake Terrace East venue? Quite possibly, but it has to be said the overall record keeping at Tara Raceway has been anything but comprehensive over the years.
Although, as far as a best winning sequence is concerned, Cryer’s Harper still has a fair way to go to match that of Queensland sprinter Minnie Flyer who won 30 races in a row at Mackay between 1994 and 1995 – 29 of them over 310 metres and one over 431 metres.
And Station Master won 21 races in succession at Cairns in the 1980s while Sophocles recorded 21 straight at Mount Isa in the late 1980s.
Meanwhile, handlers of greyhounds in the first heat of the Border Challenge at Tara Raceway on Sunday wore black armbands as a mark of respect for 23-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer Michelle Niele who died last week. Michelle was the daughter of well-known Berringa Park trainer Michael Niele.