Thursday, February 28, 2019
It didn’t take the Nineofus Syndicate long to take Oshkosh Orla off the market.
Purchased by the syndicate after winning an Angle Park maiden in December, the black bitch had shown little at Tara Raceway in six starts for Allendale East trainer David Peckham, hence her being one of the outsiders in last Sunday’s six-dog Winningformula.net.au Stake (512 metres).
In fact, such was her form that syndicate manager Ross Schurgott of Happy Valley had the nicely-bred daughter of Dyna Double One and the US-bred Oshkosh Fayola (Kiowa Mon Manny x Oshkosh City) up for sale.
Mind you, the for sale sign soon came down after Oshkosh Orla went straight to the front from box five before running away to a 4¾ length win over her litter brother, the Nifty Lenehan trained Oshkosh Nar, a giant of a greyhound that tips the scales at close to 40 kilograms.
Her time of 29.88 seconds was bettered on the day only by Pure White Evil and Bomber Creek. She’d found something like eight lengths’ improvement with Peckham unable to explain the run but certainly not complaining.
The win was the second leg of a double for connections, Flash Jackie, at only her second start, kicking the day off well when leading all the way to win the Laser Electrical Maiden Stake (512 m) by 6½ lengths in 30.23 seconds.
Also by Dyna Double One, Flash Jackie is out of Striking Viking who was raced by the Viking Syndicate. The Nineofus Syndicate – comprising Schurgott and Peckham along with Steve McGuire, Steve Mason, Mark Quin, Artie Sleeth, Gary Siney, Grant Sterzl and Samantha Sterzl – is an offshoot of that original group.
Striking Viking, a daughter of Superman and Irish Fantasy, raced on 83 occasions for 15 wins and 26 minor placings. She was the original 600 metre Tara Raceway record holder at 35.38 seconds, posted on November 30, 2014, while earlier that year she had reached the final of the Mount Gambier Cup (512 m) won by Veetee Express.
Last week, Flash Jackie’s litter brother, Flash Sox, having his first race start, was successful over 400 metres at Tara Raceway, Schurgott full of praise for Peckham.
“Back when he was being broken-in, Flash Sox contracted a liver disease and it appeared as though he would never race. David certainly did a huge job to get him back and we’re really grateful for his efforts.”
It’s been a good start to the year for Peckham, a three-time leading trainer at Tara Raceway, doubles at the past three meetings taking his overall tally to 12 winners which places him in third spot in the Ian Badger Trainer of the Year award.