Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club

Tara Raceway, Lake Terrace East, Mount Gambier, SA

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Veteran chaser refuses to lie down

Maximum Refusal defeats Wise Dorper in the Williams Crane Hire Mixed Stake (600 m) at Tara Raceway on Sunday.

Five-year-old greyhound Maximum Refusal brought up his 25th win at start number 133 on Sunday at Tara Raceway in the Williams Crane Hire Mixed Stake (600 metres).

These days owned and trained at Allendale East by David Peckham, the brindle dog led all the way after holding out a determined Wise Dorper to win by three-quarters of a length in 35.06 seconds.

And, according to Peckham, Maximum Refusal’s impressive win in the last race may well have staved off retirement for a bit longer.

“Yes, in view of a new rule of racing coming into effect on May 1, 2023 regarding minimum vaccination requirements for greyhounds I had seriously been considering placing him into the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program.

“But after Sunday’s win and two good placings over 600 metres at his previous runs I reckon I might have to re-think that and get him vaccinated again before the end of the month.”

By Fernando Bale, Maximum Refusal is out of the city-winning stayer and Group 1-placed Kilkee Flex who won 15 races and close to $90,000 in prize money.

In Peckham’s Bourne Kennels for two years, ownership of Maximum Refusal was taken over by the trainer at the end of 2021. Since then he has won a further nine races.

Meanwhile, the introduction of the controversial minimum vaccination requirements rule will require all greyhounds to have annual boosters in order for them to continue to race.

In addition, unless a controlling body determines otherwise, a greyhound will be unable to compete in any event within seven days of the date it was administered a vaccine.

Garry Elliott with Lightning Pest after her impressive maiden 305 metre win on Sunday.

Sunday’s 11-race program got off to a flying start when Lightning Pest scored a stunning all the way win by 8¼ lengths over Ballymote in the Winning Post Supplies Maiden Stake (305 m) in 17.44 seconds.

By Lightning Frank out of Rixy Ya Pest, the winner was bred at Allansford by Mathew Wright who also trained both the sire and dam.

And it was Wright, who a couple of months ago handed over Lightning Pest to Southern Cross owner-trainer Garry Elliott after the May 2021 black bitch had refused to chase at the Warrnambool track.

Significantly, she had more ST abbreviations (satisfactory trials) against her name in the form guide than actual race starts.

“I decided to try her behind the finish-on lure here at Mount Gambier and four trials over 305 metres saw her switch right on to the extent that she broke 17.50 seconds on each occasion,” Elliott said.

“Needless to say, her win today was really pleasing. And with limited finish-on lure meetings in Victoria I’d expect Lightning Pest will be doing her fair share of racing here at Tara Raceway.”

For Elliott, the win was his first in Mount Gambier since October 2017 when he had been successful with Lucky Holly over 400 metres.

Sisters Hadlie and Kaia with Kerry Hawker and Cadillac Star, the second leg of a litter double.

Edenhope trainer Kerry Hawker landed her fifth Tara Raceway double this year when Cadillac Magic and Cadillac Star both led all the way in the Gordon Refrigeration Juvenile Stake (305 m) and the Participation Seminar Stake (400 m) in times of 17.79 seconds and 23.13 seconds.

The litter sisters are by Fernando Bale out of Pamela Rocks – a daughter of Barcia Bale and Punk Rock Lass. And this second litter has so far produced eight winners at Tara Raceway in 2023.

Pamela Rocks’ first litter, by Matt’s Entity, came up with Mount Gambier winners One Tonne and Gold Rocks. Hawker and partner Captain Abbott later purchased her for a third litter – by the imported Premier Fantasy and now ready for breaking-in.

And in what will probably be her final litter, Pamela Rocks has been mated with the Irish sire Droopys Scolari.

Droopys Scolari, a son of Droopys Kewell and Little Diamond, had his potentially brilliant racing career cut short at an early stage due to a serious injury.

But he made a huge impact at stud, siring the likes of Oaks champion Witches Belle, Jaytee Jet, All About Flynn and marathon champion Tradition.

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