Captain Abbott and Kerry Hawker, the driving forces behind the Edenhope-based Cadillac Racing kennels, have added to their 2024 major sponsorship package with a donation of a three-month-old dog pup to be sold by the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) committee.

“With the pup valued at around the $3000 mark, this is another generous contribution from Cadillac Racing who has also been a significant supporter of our charitable promotions at the club,” said MGGRC president Noel Perry.

“Not only that, Cap and Kerry are also great supporters of our club on race days and we certainly wish them continued success on the track with their greyhounds.”

The donated white and blue brindle pup is one of six dogs and three bitches whelped on November 3 by Wow out of Another Pick.

Wow, a son of Fernando Bale and Miss All Class, raced on 58 occasions for 31 wins and 18 minor placings. A three-time track record holder, the white and brindle dog won the 2021 Group 1 Temlee, the 2021 Group 2 Gosford Cup and the 2020 and 2021 Group 3 Goulburn Cups.

Another Pick is by 22-race winner Unlawful Entry out of Proud Fantasy, a daughter of the Irish sire Premier Fantasy. Owned and trained by Abbott, Another Pick raced on 81 occasions for 17 wins and 18 minor placings.

In 2021 the white and blue bitch won the Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year with 12 wins and 15 minor placings. And on April 7 Hawker will receive the 2023 GOTY award which was won by Nero Valentino with seven wins and 30 minor placings.

Meanwhile, Hawker enjoyed her best day at the track since the end of last November when Cadillac Belle and Cadillac Ragtop both turned in top performances over the 400 metre journey at last Sunday’s Tara Raceway meeting.

Chasing win number six, Cadillac Belle, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and Marlise Bale, led all the way in the Rocks Tavern Stake when defeating Lightning Pest by 5¼ lengths in 22.97 seconds.

And Cadillac Ragtop also led all the way for a 1¾ length win over Yadillah Lad in the Icon Signs Stake in 22.92 seconds.

By Premier Fantasy, Cadillac Ragtop is out of Pamela Rocks, Mount Gambier’s leading dam in 2023 with 42 wins.

Earlier in the day, Hamilton trainer Kyle Goodwin was successful with first starter Nearly Irish, a daughter of Aeroplane Eric who raced on only 22 occasions for 11 wins and $75,000 in prize money.

A June 2021 whelping, the black bitch never looked like being beaten, leading all the way and defeating He’s Tremendous by four lengths in the Greg Martlew Autos Maiden Stake (400 m) in 23.54 seconds.

Goodwin said he’d been training Nearly Irish only for a few weeks for Shaun Boag.

“Shaun’s also the Track and Facility Manager at the Ballarat track but with no racing there at the moment he didn’t really want to travel so he asked me if I could take over training until the track reopens.”

Redshift Uniform, off the scene for a month after an Angle Park mishap, bounced back for her 12th win over 732 metres at Tara Raceway when quickly taking up the running in the Klaassens Contractors FFA.

Trained at Moorak by Jason Newman, the daughter of Barcia Bale and Taylor Made Star eventually had 1¼ lengths to spare over Raven Macaw in 43.52 seconds.

Later in the day, the Newman-trained Zipping Shakira successfully made the transition from maiden company to graded class when leading all the way in the Cadillac Racing Stake (512 m) and defeating Moonlight Sid by 1½ lengths in 29.86 seconds.

In the Winning Post Supplies Masters (305 m), Nitrogen Outlaw brought up his 26th win at start 98 when defeating Emerley Aussie by eight lengths for Newman’s partner Melissa Freitag.

The run was a fair sort of effort, the son of Aston Dee Bee and Fantasy Skye carving out a time of 17.31 seconds – the fastest time run since Hello Keen’s equal track record of 17.28 seconds on April 23 last year.

And as last Sunday’s meeting drew to a close, a neatly attired middle-aged woman, as she left the track, politely acknowledged the “bench boys” seated outside the clubrooms.

“You know, it’s been on my bucket list to attend a greyhound racing meeting,” she said. “It was terrific and I’ll be back.”