With the age-restricted $10,000 Trackside Pet Meats Spring Classic (512 metres) to be run at Tara Raceway in November, last Sunday’s meeting saw a few of the early contenders in action over a variety of distances.
The series, originally known as the Winter Classic, was first run by the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club in August 2014. It was won by the Tracie Price trained Stylish Moment (Spring Gun x Nicky’s Moment) in a time of 30.27 seconds.
For greyhounds whelped on or after July 1 two years prior, last year’s classic took on a name change. Now known as the Spring Classic, the heats and final series is also run several months later – this year on November 1 and 8.
Complementing the Winter Classic had been the Summer Classic which was run in February for greyhounds whelped on or after January 1 two years prior. This is now known as the Autumn Classic and run in May.
And while the race names have changed for the $10,000 classics, eligibility remains the same for both the age-restricted events.
Toolong trainer Phil Lenehan was always going to hold a strong hand in last year’s inaugural Spring Classic final. After all, he supplied half the field – Lektra Unhinged, Lektra Solo, Lektra Beta and Lektra Jane.
Three of his “Lektra” finalists in Solo, Unhinged and Beta – all July 2023 whelpings and giving away absolutely nothing in age – certainly took full advantage of the inside boxes when opening up a handy break down the back straight.
But it was Lektra Beta, a son of Tommy Shelby and Lektra Perry, who took the lead in the home straight before running out a 1¼ length winner over early leader Lektra Unhinged in 29.73 seconds.
Meanwhile, back at Tara Raceway last Sunday, and the Federal Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m), from an age point of view, included several Spring Classic contenders.
A greyhound by the name of Brian, having only his third race start, scored a big win from box eight when defeating Bourne Munchkin by 7½ lengths in 17.71 seconds.
Raced by Elysia, Lee and Steve Bartholomew, and trained by the latter at Worrolong, Brian is a September 2024 whelping by Tommy Shelby out of Galactic Destiny, also the dam of Divine Nature, a winner over the middle-distance in Melbourne.
Bourne Munchkin, owned and trained by David Peckham at Allendale East, was having her first start. And the strong lines of McInerney and Sweet On Me perhaps suggest the August 2024 whelping could be better suited over more ground.
Dave Green’s winning run continued in the Greyhoundtips.com.au Stake (400 m) after Moonlight Nellie brought up her third successive win at Tara Raceway for the Millicent trainer.
Away well from box five, the Linda Gore-owned Moonlight Nellie led all the way from box five for a 4½ length win – her fifth from 15 starts – over Princetown Flyer in 22.84 seconds.
Being another September 2024 whelping also puts the daughter of Fernando Bale and My Girl Kizzy right in the classic mix, especially given that her dam won over the 715 metre journey at Sandown Park.
And in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (512 m), Magpie Spice, on the back of consecutive wins over 400 metres, handled the step up in distance when defeating the seasoned performer Lemon Pepper by a length in 29.74 seconds.
A daughter of Fernando Bale and One More Burn, the October 2024 white and black bitch, who led all the way from box two, is trained by Hamilton-based Lorraine Goodwin. She has now won five races from 10 starts with Magpie Spice.
Three months too old for the Spring Classic, Cinematic continued on his winning way last Sunday in the Quickmix Concrete Group Stake (400 m) for owner Geoff Collins and trainer Rosalyn Hume of Wattle Flat.
Chasing his fifth consecutive win, the brindle dog, once finding the front, ran away with a convincing four length victory over Rough Girl Ruby in 23.05 seconds.
By Aston Rupee out of Cosmic Blend, a winner of 31 races, Cinematic was bred by Collins, who said after Sunday’s win that he was keen to try the April whelping over 512 metres with a view to contesting the forthcoming Country Cup at Mount Gambier.
Leading local trainer Tracie Price wrapped up a pretty handy weekend after Compton Lizzie was successful in the Sealeys Springworks Stake (512 m) and Huntsman defeated Harry Chana in the Masters (305 m).
And on the Friday afternoon he had been successful at Murray Bridge when landing five winners – Canya Feel It, Rock It Roger, Compton Stella, Canya Nameless and Compton Ava.