For the sixth consecutive year, Compton-based greyhound trainer Tracie Price has landed his 100th local winner. This time the milestone came at last Thursday’s time-graded Tara Raceway meeting with kennel newcomer Trading Halt.
Raced by the Victorian-based Hustle Syndicate, who also owns the Price-trained Trial King, Trading Holt was having her first run at Tara Raceway after winning three races at Geelong, Shepparton and Warragul.
Lining up from box five in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG1-4W Stake (305 metres), the daughter of Aston Dee Bee and Cleo’s Neo quickly found the front and never looked like being headed when running out a 3½ length winner over Shanny Rose in 17.67 seconds.
For Price, his best day so far this year at Tara Raceway was back on Sunday, September 14 when Compton Gypsy, Wilder, Trial King, Raven Peter and Cruising Billy had been successful.
Kicking off a good day for the Terang-based Team Roberts was Fandango, a brindle son of Good Odds Harada and Shim’s Heart who was bred and is owned and trained by Mark Roberts.
Settling in third spot from box one, the second-starter then found the front turning for home before running out a 3¼ length winner over Get The Drift in the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m) in a time of 18.26 seconds.
Following in the second race, the Icon Signs Maiden Stake (305 m), was Collective Kaos, owned and trained by Catherine Roberts, who also bred the son of US sire Kinda Cruel Red and Nyssa’s Girl.
Collective Kaos led all the way from box one, eventually running out a 2½ length winner over Glimmer Of Hope, a litter sister to Fandango, and owned and trained by Mark and Catherine Roberts.
But the Team Roberts’ day wasn’t quite over yet – the Christian Roberts trained Baijiu, tackling the Quickmix Concrete Group TG5+W Stake (305 m) for owner Catherine, and leading all the way for a length win over Flash Gordon in 17.75 seconds.
By the US sire Need My Moneynow, Baijiu’s win was his first for Team Roberts. The blue dog is out of Grandana Quality, also the dam of local chasers Hyphenate and Close Shave who are by Razor’s Edge.
Moorak owner-trainer Allan Holmes’ involvement in local greyhound racing goes back to the days of Glenburnie. Since then he’s been awarded Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club life membership, served on numerous committees and won a SA Country Cup at Gawler with Moorak Hope.
Recently he was back at the racetrack for the first time in 12 months with Moorak Sally, a September 2022 daughter of My Redeemer and Galactic Mojo who he had purchased as a pup in partnership with his son Tim.
“Given that she hadn’t raced in more than 12 months I was required to run a satisfactory trial with her,” Holmes said. “After passing that she then finished fifth of six in a 400 metre race on October 16 although to be fair she probably needed a run
“What happened was that I had got to a stage where I really needed a break away from the track. But in all that time Moorak Sally was never out of work.”
So, on the back of a satisfactory trial and a first-up 400 metre race, she fronted up again last Thursday in the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (400 m) chasing her first win since September 12, 2024.
Away well from box two, the further they went the further Moorak Sally increased her lead, eventually defeating Rough Boy Rocky by 5½ lengths in a personal best time of 23.39 seconds. Obviously the break didn’t do either trainer or greyhound any harm.
By the time Nathan McKay’s Solar Habit lined up in the Da’Leni Meats TG5+W Stake (512 m) last Thursday, the Toolleen trainer had already won a race at Shepparton earlier in the day with Vixen Force.
Solar Habit, a last start winner at Tara Raceway, made it two wins in succession when leading all the way and defeating Aston Darwin by 3½ lengths in a best of day time of 29.71 seconds which was also a personal best.
Later in the day McKay landed a two-state treble after Anna Force led all the way in the Sealeys Springworks TG5+W Stake (400 m) for a 1¾ length win over Compton Tig in 23.52 seconds.
By Bernardo out of Aeroplane Rose, the Jason Cail owned Anna Force won her first seven races in Mount Gambier prior to relocating to Tasmania and then recently to Toolleen. And Vixen Force won her maiden at the local track prior to joining McKay’s kennels.