It had taken a while for Portland-trained four-race winner Menari Tom to find winning form again.

In fact, prior to his fifth win last Sunday at Tara Raceway in the Todd’s Photographics Stake (400 metres) the brindle dog had last been successful back in early October when defeating Galactic Dreamer over 512 metres in 30 seconds.

But at the end of January this year he found himself sidelined for 60 days after sustaining a back leg muscle injury when tailing off behind Compton Amy in a grade five 512 metre event at Tara Raceway.

Trainer Brian Weis takes up the story.

“Well, the 60 days stretched out to 90 by the time he lined up for his next start at the end of April in a time-graded 400 metre event.

“Even though he went into the race without a trial he seemed pretty good to me. But after showing plenty of dash from box one it was soon obvious that all was not well with the back leg muscle. So, there went another 90 days.

“Next time back, though, I did trial him leading into last Sunday’s race and he appeared fine after the hit out.”

And Menari Tom, raced in partnership by Weis with OB Flat owner-trainer Noel Perry, led all the way from box one in the grade six event when defeating Cadillac Lloyd by 2¼ lengths in 23.33 seconds.

By Worm Burner, Menari Tom is out of Xtreme Gift, a winner of eight races at Warrnambool, Horsham and Mount Gambier when trained at Portland by Robert Duncan.

Xtreme Gift is a litter sister to Xtreme Caution who in 2018 won the first Group Listed Mount Gambier Cup for Weis.

Last Sunday was also a good day for Perry who was successful in his own right with Rough Girl Skye, an all the way winner over Mjolnir To Burn in the Williams Crane Hire Stake (400 m) in 23.65 seconds.

Bred, owned and trained by Perry, Rough Girl Skye is by Dyna Double One out of Lektra Rainbow who has since whelped litters by Feral Franky and Sennachie for Phil Lenehan.

Lenehan also enjoyed a good day when Lektra Kit, a son of Mepunga Blazer and Lektra Viki, led all the way in the Carlin & Gazzard Stake (512 m) and defeated Zambora Sam by 4¾ lengths in 29.96 seconds.

And litter sister Lektra Vera overcame a slow start in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (400 m), finishing strongly when defeating Weipa by two lengths in 23.40 seconds and bringing up a double for the Toolong breeder-owner-trainer.