This year’s $10,000 Mount Gambier Autumn Classic, run over 512 metres at Tara Raceway in May for male and female greyhounds whelped on or after January 1, 2023 was won by Robert Chuck’s locally owned Galactic Nemesis.

By Blue Moon Rising out of Galactic Athena, the white and brindle bitch is trained at Finniss by Lauren Harris and has now won more than $23,000 in prize money.

Now, on November 2 and 9, 2025, heats and the final of the $10,000 Mount Gambier Spring Classic will be run over 512 metres for male and female greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, 2023.

The Autumn and Spring Classics have replaced the Summer and Winter Classics which were first run at Tara Raceway back in 2014-2015. The original classics still carried the same age restrictions but were run in February and August.

Following the Mount Gambier SA Country Cup $5000 heat/s over 512 metres on Sunday, September 28 will be the $3500 Labour Day Cup (512 m) on Sunday, October 5.

And November 16 and 23 will feature the running of the heats and final of the time-honoured Newman McDonnell Memorial (512 m) for grade 5 greyhounds.

The first McDonnell Memorial was run in November 1986 when won by Kenzel Lad. Subsequent memorials to be conducted at the original track were won by Bozie Flyer, Irkanda Leo, Invercoe Riot, National Ribbon, Foxtrot Oscar, Bush Pepper, Larradinya, Wild Welcome, Colin Ian and Ashanti Gem.

David Peckham’s Bourne Again is the only greyhound to have won consecutive memorials – in 2013 and 2014. Winners since then have been Boris Bekim (Brian Fish), Glenville Jester (Richard Clayfield), Lektra Stomp (Brian Lenehan), Banjo Lass (Tracie Price) and Spring Value (Kevin Mugavin).

Then followed Midnight Daisy (David Peckham), Crush Your Enemy (Tim Richards), Classic Moment (Kevin Mugavin), Malevolent Girl (Laughlin McLean) and Wild Milly (Tracie Price).