Finally, the numbers add up for Adam - Mount Gambier Week in Review
Your Colour Room’s sparkling effort
It was at the end of March 2019 that the Andrew Paraskevas trained Pure White Evil had run a 4¼ length third behind Galactic Athena and Slingshot Hammer in the Mount Gambier Cup final (512 metres).
Actually it was a pretty good month for the Victorian-based trainer who a couple of weeks prior had won the inaugural Murray Bridge Cup with Pure White Evil’s litter brother, Eye Got It. And he had come reasonably close to picking up a GRSA $5000 bonus.
But the story goes back to late 2007 when Paraskevas’ father, John, had bred a litter by Brett Lee out of Brandeen Misty – in a five-start career a winner of two races at Temora prior to whelping four litters for other breeders.
One of the litter later raced as Father Of Mine, who won five races over short courses. Her fourth and final litter, to Barcia Bale, included Pure White Evil and Eye Got It.
Father Of Mine’s second litter was by Knocka Norris and included American Monster, a winner of 23 races and more than $100,000 in prize money. Also in the litter was five-race winner Pretty Bomb who subsequently whelped five litters of her own, the third being by Zambora Brockie.
Andrew Paraskevas was back at Tara Raceway last Sunday with a couple of well-credentialled sons of Zambora Brockie x Pretty Bomb – New Wave Whine, a winner of 16 races and $83,000 in prize money and Your Colour Room (20, $139,000).
New Wave Whine disappointed in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 m) and looked lost. But Your Colour Room impressed when taking up the running down the back straight from Keanu Boy Turbo in the Swallow Drive Meats Stake (512 m).
And the brindle dog finished the race off strongly, defeating the early leader by 4¼ lengths in a very quick 29.46 seconds.
However, as far as next month’s Cadillac Racing Mount Gambier Cup is concerned, Paraskevas said he and the Sparkle And Fade Syndicate, managed by his father, were keeping their options open.
“I had been keen to get the pair over here for a run behind the finish-on lure,” he said. “At times they can be a bit unpredictable and as such I like to try and mix things up a bit and keep them guessing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was really pleased with Your Colour Room’s effort today so we’ll now have to have a long, hard look at what direction we’re going to take.”
Meanwhile, enjoying the Thursday and Sunday meetings last week at Tara Raceway was the Cunningham family – Daniel, Kim and kids Brooke and Sophie – from Burnie in Tasmania, and holidaying in Mount Gambier for the first time.
It’s a busy time for the family who will be over at Hamilton for three nights for the Australian Street Stocks titles. They then return to Mount Gambier where Daniel will be competing in the SA Street Stocks titles.
An underground shift boss at the Henty Goldmine in Tasmania, Cunningham is also a keen racegoer.
“We went to the trots the other night and then I was delighted to learn that there was greyhound racing on here on Thursday. Even better still was when I was told the greyhounds were also racing on Sunday afternoon,” he said.
“I have to say, everyone seems really friendly at the dogs and they went out of their way to make us feel welcome. One trainer I was talking to was Robert Halliday who mentioned he had a runner called Yadillah Lad in race nine.
“I wasn’t travelling that well and at a price of $20 I thought his dog was probably worth a couple of dollars. And up he got. I have to say, this bloke called Halliday is a legend!”
The Cunningham family also caught up with Southern Cross trainer Garry Elliott who had Lightning Pest engaged in the Exchange Printers Stake (512 m).
Lining up from box eight on the back of four minor placings, the daughter of Lightning Frank and Roxy Ya Pest settled in second spot behind Our Damiro before storming home in the straight for a 3¼ length win.
The win was the black bitch’s fourth since finding her way into Elliott’s kennels 12 months ago after she had displayed a reluctance to chase at Warrnambool.
“A decision to run Lightning Pest behind the finish-on-lure at the Mount Gambier track seems to have switched her on to the extent that she ran a personal best time today of 29.79 seconds,” said Elliott.
Family day for brother and sister
Three winners at Tara Raceway’s recent Sunday meeting certainly helped to make it a real family day for Dennington brother and sister greyhound trainers Dustin and Aimee Drew who were joined on track by mum Jan and Aimee’s three-year-old daughter Maisie.
The Aimee Drew-trained Aston Reims, on the back of three minor placings at Warrnambool, kicked off the siblings’ day with a win in the Rocks Tavern Maiden Stake (400 metres).
It was a case of the son of Fernando Bale and Aston Chandon keeping in touch early with the leader Cawbourne Joey and then finishing powerfully in the home straight for a 3¼ length win over Whipping Along in 23.33 seconds.
The Carlin & Gazzard Stake (512 m) might have been only a grade six affair but Dustin Drew’s Aminah – based at Dennington for less than a fortnight – was done no favours given the quality of the field.
Raced by the Massina family’s Country Mile Syndicate, and managed by Chelsea Madigan, Aminah and Lakeview Heather staged a great battle with the former eventually getting the nod by a nose in 29.78 seconds.
Given the length of time in his kennels, Drew was suitably impressed with the effort of the daughter of Barcia Bale and Bakali.
“I thought she handled herself pretty well today and hopefully there should be further improvement in her,” he said.
Drew had scored a good win with Aston Kalkara the previous week in a grade five heat over 512 metres and he looked the one to beat in the final – especially with the scratching of the other heat winner in Wild Star.
This turned out to be another entertaining two-dog race with Aston Kalkara travelling well on the rails behind Redshift Uniform who was bowling along in front in the Gordon Refrigeration Grade 5 final.
And turning for home the pair was on level terms before Aston Kalkara edged away in the straight for a length win in 29.77 seconds.
While there was no joy for Drew’s son of Aston Kimetto and Aston Upton in last Friday’s Horsham Cup heats, the 2023 Warrnambool Cup finalist might find the forthcoming Cadillac Racing Mount Gambier Cup at Tara Raceway more to his liking.
Finally, the numbers add up for Adam
For local electrician and two-greyhound trainer Adam Mackereth it was a welcome return to the winner’s circle at last Thursday’s Tara Raceway time-graded meeting.
Lining up from box two in the Klaassens Contractors TG5+W Stake (512 metres) for Mackereth was Two Fifty Three who was chasing her first win since last September at Murray Bridge over 455 metres.
And the fawn bitch never really looked like being run down when leading all the way for a 2½ length win over 150-start veteran Two Hands George in 30.06 seconds, the quicker of the two 512 metre events on the day.
Speaking after the win, her eighth, Mackereth said it had been a frustrating time with Two Fifty Three since her last win.
“A week after her Murray Bridge win she dislocated a toe,” he said. “And then she was off the scene for more than three months after coming in season. But she’s gradually finding form again and I was really happy with her effort today.”
By Elite State, who raced back in the early 2000s, out of eight-race Mount Gambier winner Dusty Pearl, Two Fifty Three and her sister Four Longnecks were purchased as pups by Mackereth from Worrolong breeder Steve Bartholomew.
The litter continues to do quite well with Unique Pearl having won 10 races, Hellboy and Four Longnecks 8 and Victor Alfred 7.
Meanwhile, Ararat owner-trainer Doug Hammerstein landed his first Tara Raceway winner since August 2022 after Numerous led all the way and defeated Mr. Flash by two lengths in 23.29 seconds for the 400 metre journey.
Earlier in the day, Numerous’ litter sister Casting, trained by Jack Trengove, went close when going down by a nostril to Dean Fennell’s Saint Sally. However, on Saturday morning at Angle Park, Casting made amends with an easy win over 342 metres.