The last time Hoppers Crossing trainer Allan Meyer had a dog engaged at Tara Raceway was at Mount Gambier Cup time back in March 2018.

That was when Mick’s Angel, following two unplaced runs behind super stayer Fanta Bale at The Meadows, defeated Cryer’s Plugger in the Back to Distance Mixed Stake (732 metres) in a time of 43.94 seconds.

A daughter of Kilty Lad and Seabrook Lass, Mick’s Angel won 12 races and $85,000 in stake money before being mated with Barcia Bale.

And one of the subsequent litter was current Tara Raceway regular Mick’s Kimmy who ran second for Mortlake trainer Peter Crawley in last Sunday’s Swallow Drive Meats Stake (732 m) behind Aaron Blake’s Adelong.

Meyer had Deep Fever engaged in last Sunday’s Winning Post Supplies Stake (512 m), the son of Hostile and Quick Succession (a winner of 21 races and $90,000 in stake money) chasing his fourth successive win.

Lining up from box five after wins at Geelong, Ballarat and The Meadows, Deep Fever led all the way when defeating another consistent greyhound in Deceleration by a nose in a more than handy time of 29.71 seconds.

The fawn dog is raced by Darren Spence, who has enjoyed a long association with Meyer – a “back yard” trainer with two dogs and more than 30 years’ experience in the game.

Deep Fever has now won six races but according to his trainer it hasn’t been all plain sailing.

“To be honest, until recently he’d been just an average dog – four months without a win and then to top it all off falling at Geelong.

“So I decided to trial him just to make sure everything was in order. That seemed to wake him up. Since then, he’s won four on the trot and has turned into a good little dog.”

Meyer’s other dog is Jordyn Naylor’s Demon Flyer, the son of Aston Kimetto x Dolly Double One having won 10 races and $41,000 in stake money.

“And I have to say, I’m very proud of both my dogs.”

As it turned out, Meyer was unable to make the trip to Mount Gambier last Sunday due to a Christmas commitment at the Werribee races.

Deep Fever made the trip over with Bullengarook-based Gintoki Bale, Johnny Daniels and Siala Giblet, trained by Leland Medcraft and Kate Jackson.

Medcraft last won at Tara Raceway in December 2019 with Bakali Jet (Collision x Ursula), who carved out a quick 22.98 seconds win over 400 metres.

Drawn in box five and the outsider of the field at $8.50, Siala Giblet led all the way in last Sunday’s Ary Sports Bar & Bistro Stake (400 m) when defeating a fast finishing Velocity Lotus by a half-length in 23.23 seconds.

By Worm Burner, the brindle bitch is out of the unraced Dyna Gerda and raced by the Big Three Syndicate, comprising Martyn, Matt and Ben.

Siala Giblet, the trainer’s first winner at Tara Raceway, has now won seven races for the syndicate and Jackson who has been training greyhounds since 2017.

And Rob Taylor, of Warracknabeal, made a successful return to the training ranks when Woodroffe gave him his first winner after a 12 month break from greyhound racing.

“I’d been managing a local hotel for the past year which kept me out of the game but it’s certainly nice to be back again and training a few greyhounds,” he said.

Jumping from box two in the Hyland Fox Maiden Stake (400 m), Woodroffe quickly put himself into the race when taking the lead down the back before running out a 1½ length winner over a fast finishing Paluma in 23.35 seconds.

By Aston Dee Bee, Woodroffe is out of 21-race winner Rachel Zane and owned at Nhill by Andrea Gurry. She engaged the services of Taylor, who currently has five greyhounds in work, when running out of kennel space.

“Today was only his fourth start for me. And it now seems that he’s starting to get some of his confidence back after a couple of minor setbacks early in his career,” Taylor said.

His last winner at Tara Raceway had been in April 2014 when Noble Haste defeated Wyndham Star over 512 metres by nine lengths in a best of day time of 29.77 seconds.

Owned by Gordon Thompson, Noble Haste, a son of Heston Bale x Mandy Shiraz, was bred by Gurry.