Flying Around in a Flutter
It’s now almost four years ago that a young, inexperienced black greyhound by the name of Flying Flutter won a lowly grade six race over 512 metres at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway in a time of 29.66 seconds – less than a length outside the then track record.
In fact, at the time the daughter of Mogambo and city-winning stayer Butterfly Bling was one of only four greyhounds to have run under 29.70 seconds at the track, the others being Dub Me In, Sir Lenny and Thanks Tubby who held the record at 29.60 seconds.
The only downside to the win was that Flying Flutter had displayed signs of Post Race Distress Syndrome (PRDS) before quickly recovering. Compton trainer Tracie Price soon after reported that the bitch had gained a clean bill of health.
But several days’ later Greyhound Racing SA stewards asked that Price supply the results of an ECG and a veterinary certificate of fitness before nominating her for any future races.
Then, the following week they informed the trainer that Flying Flutter would also have to pass a satisfactory trial and a veterinary examination prior to nominating.
But Flying Flutter never raced again, retiring with a race record of just two second placings from seven starts. Her 29.66 seconds win in late January 2017 and a 10¼ lengths maiden win earlier in that month both subsequently ended in disqualification.
Fast forward two years and with Flying Flutter all but forgotten it was Portland breeder-trainer Robert Halliday who in passing one day at Tara Raceway asked Price what had happened to her.
“I told him the fact of the matter was that she had been out at Compton doing nothing for the past two years because I had been unable to obtain authority to breed with her due to her PRDS issues when racing,” Price said.
“Robert said if I was agreeable he would take Flying Flutter back to Portland with him where he believed he would be able to breed a litter with her.”
Halliday, at Tara Raceway on Thursday with Rotate who scored a good win over 512 metres in a best of day 30.02 seconds, took up the story.
“The first thing I did with Flying Flutter was to get her checked over at the Sandown Veterinary Clinic by Alistair Smith who gave her a clean bill of health,” he said.
“Following that I had no trouble in obtaining an authority to breed with her. By March 2019 Flying Flutter had whelped a healthy litter of two dogs and five bitches to the former champion SA sprinter Worm Burner.
“Then at the end of that year she whelped a second litter of two dogs and four bitches, this time to Mepunga Blazer.”
So far, only one of the first litter has been named and raced. That’s Compton Peggy, trained by Price for his wife Karen.
Lining up from box two in Thursday’s Trackside Meats Stake (512 m), Compton Peggy was looking to open her winning account after having previously recorded eight minor placings from 12 starts at Tara Raceway.
And the sizeable 31 kilograms bitch was rewarded for her consistency, leading all the way to defeat kennelmate Compton Suzy by three lengths in a personal best time of 30.24 seconds.
The win was the final leg of a running treble for Price after litter sisters High Fly Emma and Tandiki were successful over 400 metres and 600 metres respectively.
By Peter Rocket out of Headline – currently Tara Raceway’s leading dam – High Fly Emma once again ran home strongly in the Bartholomew Pick 6 Stake (400 m) to grab Blue Bonnet in the shadows of the post for a head win in 23.45 seconds.
Tandiki, after an impressive 35.24 seconds win over 600 metres at October’s final meeting, went even better on Thursday when defeating another consistent chaser in Saint Maddie by 7½ lengths.
Her winning time of 35.14 seconds was the fastest recorded at Tara Raceway this year, the previous best being 35.19 seconds clocked by Rock It Fernando back in June.
Meanwhile, Bay Me, Nitro Yap and See Nitro – progeny of Lots Of Yap, another prominent dam at Tara Raceway this year – look to hold a strong hand in next week’s Winning Post Supplies final (400 m).
Bay Me and Galactic Horizon staged a great battle in last week’s first heat, the latter winning by a length in a quick 23.15 seconds. And Nitro Yap led all the way in heat two to defeat his sister by 2½ lengths in 23.27 seconds.