Evanston South trainer Pete Smith, on one of his occasional visits to Tara Raceway, had been chasing his first win in Mount Gambier since Premier Peruzzi back in September 2019 when Maybe Sirius lined up in last Thursday’s Gordon Refrigeration 1-4 Wins Stake (400 metres).
And while Maybe Sirius, a maiden winner the previous week up the Murray Bridge straight, failed to figure in the placings, Moon Salad, trained by Smith’s partner Tina Cattermole, opened her winning account in the Produce Store Maiden Stake (400 m).
Having her second start after finishing second on debut to Maybe Sirius, the November 2019 whelping led all the way from box five when defeating Limousine by a neck in 23.62 seconds. The win was Cattermole’s first at the track since December 2019 when Sassy Bubble had been successful.
Bred by Cattermole, last Thursday’s winner is by Cosmic Rumble out of Harbison Miss, a winner of 15 races at Angle Park and Gawler when trained by the breeder. Amy Cosh and Cattermole now race Moon Salad in the syndicate name of Two Broke Girls, the former having reared the litter at Lewiston.
Smith, who stood in for his partner, said there was currently a bit happening at their property.
“Harbison Miss whelped a second litter in January, this time to Barcia Bale, so all told we have a dozen or so pups of varying ages. Plus we’re training a team of five racing dogs.”
Meanwhile, Major Tom Fury, owned and trained at Langhorne Creek by Tony Hinrichsen, kicked off racing in dominant style with an all the way 4½ lengths win in 23.58 seconds in the Trackside Meats Maiden Stake (400 m).
Bred by his owner-trainer, the brindle dog is by Worm Burner out of Spring Leesa, her last win being at Tara Raceway in November 2019. That particular win wrapped up a racing career spanning three years and 177 starts for 21 wins and 60 minor placings.
Major Tom Fury’s win was the second for the month at Tara Raceway for the litter – and Hinrichsen – after Memphis Fury had been successful over 400 metres a fortnight ago.
But Spring Leesa’s number of starts pales into insignificance compared to that of Hinrichsen’s rising 5½-years-old Filthy Phantom who went around for the 244th time in last Thursday’s Williams Crane Hire 5+ Wins Stake (400 m).
Bred and trained by Hinrichsen, the veteran chaser is by Lochinvar Marlow out of Ruby Swift who raced on 100 occasions.
Looking for his first win at Tara Raceway since November 2019, Filthy Phantom chased Jervois Boy throughout before finishing strongly to go down by only a half length in 23.20 seconds.
All told, his race record now stands at 23 wins (Strathalbyn, Gawler, Port Augusta, Mount Gambier, Angle Park and Murray Bridge), 37 seconds and 47 thirds.
“As his record suggests, Filthy Phantom, who has now eclipsed Green Lizard’s SA record of 223 starts, is a greyhound that would run through a brick wall such is his love of racing,” Hinrichsen said.