For Meningie-based trainer Tim Richards last Sunday was a case of wrapping up a successful month of Category 2 race meetings at Tara Raceway.

With four Sunday fixtures conducted in November, Richards, who has been ably assisted by Tanya Bialek, trained two trebles and two doubles.

Last Sunday kicked off with a quinella when littermates Silk Sonic and Oh Louise fought out the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 metres).

By Barcia Bale out of Molly Be Nimble, Silk Sonic brought up his first 512 metre win in a 47-start career when leading all the way from box four and defeating his litter sister by three-quarters of a length in 29.91 seconds.

And another littermate in Time After Time, who led all the way in the Swallow Drive Meats Open Stake (512 m) for a 2½ length win in a best of day 29.70 seconds over Aston Ziebell, was the second leg of a double for Richards.

Other Category 2 greyhounds to have won for Richards in Mount Gambier during November have been Coorong Cam, Circus Craze and He’s All Purpose.

From a local point of view he now has his sights set on the Williams Crane Hire Christmas Cup (512 m), heats of which will be run on Sunday, December 10 with the final on December 17.

The first four from the Christmas Cup final will then be first in line to represent the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club in the $5800 Border Challenge at Warrnambool over 450 metres on Thursday, December 21.

“With our dogs currently racing well down here we’re keen to get back for the Christmas meeting,” said Richards, still hampered by a chronic leg injury but heartened by his specialist’s report this week.

“As far as the Christmas Cup is concerned I guess Time After Time would be our best chance after her effort yesterday. And I like the idea of the first four finalists heading to Warrnambool for the Border Challenge final.

“If we were fortunate enough to make the final of the Border Challenge then we’d probably look to race a few of our other dogs over there on the same night.”

From a Mount Gambier feature race point of view, Richards is no stranger to success.

In 2021 Justice For All won the Summer Classic, He’s All Purpose the SA Country Cup and Crush Your Enemy the Newman McDonnell Memorial. Then in 2022 He’s All Purpose won the Summer Classic.

Tim Richards has certainly come a long way since that first win at Tara Raceway back in December 2017 with a greyhound called Allen Paul.

Later in the day, Wild Banker, a son of Need My Moneynow and Wild Marilyn, scored a top win in the Commercial Hotel Grade 6 final (400 m) when leading all the way for a 5¼ length win over Cadillac Belle in a best of day 22.82 seconds.

The win was the third leg of a treble for Compton trainer Tracie Price who had previously won with Compton Charlie and Minh Ellie.

Meanwhile, Unique Destiny, raced locally by the Bartholomew family, has won his way into the Group 3 Provincial Plate final which will be run this Saturday over 515 metres on Melbourne Cup night at Sandown Park.

Trained at Rowsley by Matt Lanigan, the black dog is by Blue Moon Rising out of Galactic Destiny and is a litter brother to Devilish Child, a winner at Murray Bridge on Friday for the Bartholomews.

Contesting a $4020 to the winner 500 metre heat at Bendigo on Sunday afternoon, Unique Destiny finished strongly for a 2½ length win over Winston Town in 27.88 seconds.

The Provincial Plate, for greyhounds with no city wins, carries prize money of $28,000 to the winner.

Last Sunday saw the conclusion of the latest Tara Tipsters competition – this time throwing its support behind the Visually Impaired Club of Mount Gambier.

It has to be said Craig Grubb, involved with the Tara Tipsters for the past 12 months or so, had been threatening for a while. He finally delivered after accumulating 411 points and defeating Noel Perry, 389, and Michael Robinson, 387.

Representatives from the Visually Impaired Club of Mount Gambier will be on course this Sunday for the running of the Tara Tipsters Cup and to receive a cheque from the Tara Tipsters.

The Tara Tipsters will round off the year with support for the Mount Gambier Christmas Community Luncheon.