Myall Ray sees South East headed to National final
Local greyhound to take his place in National Straight Track Championship
Locally-trained greyhound Myall Ray, who finished third in Tuesday’s SA Straight Track Championship (350 metres), was originally listed as a reserve in the National Straight Track Championship to be run at Murray Bridge on Saturday morning, August 24.
But Stadiums, the NSW qualifier (run at Richmond) has been withdrawn from the series. Trained by Stephen Davies, he advised that he had chosen not to travel to SA and would not compete in the series.
Davies, of Salt Ash, said there had been no physical issues with the son of Zipping Garth and Bonding Session. However, pursuant to Nationals Conditions, withdrawing for this reason was not acceptable.
Stewards, after considering the circumstances, advised Davies that Stadiums would be removed from the series with a 28-day penalty imposed, from the date of the National final, under the rules of racing.
As a result of the scratching, the next qualified greyhound from the host state – in this case Myall Ray, trained at Compton by Tracie Price – will take his place in the $28,000 to the winner final. And litter brother Myall Jack is now a reserve.
By Beast Unleashed out of Spot On Cinta, the pair joined Price’s kennels after octogenarian couple Ray Gilmore and Judith Risk of Kilmany had won eight races with Myall Ray and seven with Myall Jack on Victorian provincial tracks.
It was back in May that Price and his son Ben had met with Gilmore and Risk at Traralgon in order to pick up the black dog and his black and white brother.
“And at the time Ray was adamant that Myall Ray was the pick of the pair and that he wanted Ben to handle him at the race track,” said Price.
“It was always my plan to set Myall Ray for the National Straight Track Championship. In fact, since he’s been in our kennels, the only place he has raced has been up the straight at Murray Bridge.
“He’ll jump from box seven in Saturday’s final and he should handle that alright. Myall Jack is now a reserve and it certainly wouldn’t worry me if he gained a start.”
Price said Gilmore and Risk would also be sending over another of the litter for breeding – Myall Sandy, a last start winner at Warragul and all told a winner of nine races on Victorian provincial tracks.
National Straight Track Championship (350 metres): 1 Express Ethics (NSW), 2 Hara’s Buddy (Qld.), 3 Sheezel (Qld.), 4 Zipping Gryllis (Vic.), 5 Mile A Minute (Vic.), 6 So Be It (SA), 7 Myall Ray (SA), 8 Cash On Delivery (SA). Reserves: Agent Nineteen, Myall Jack.
Meanwhile, New Zealand National Sprint Championship qualifier Caterpie Bale and New Zealand National Distance Championship qualifier Know Defence have been ruled out of Angle Park’s Saturday night final on August 24.
This follows flight arrangements to South Australia unable to be accommodated by the courier. All avenues were exhausted in a bid to have the NZ qualifiers take their places in the Sprint and Distance finals over 530 metres and 730 metres.
As a result, the NZ pair has been replaced by the next qualified greyhounds from the host state (SA) – in the case of the Sprint, Where’s Poppy (Kirin Corby) and the Distance, Zipping Neutron (Tim Aloisi).
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Smokin’ Ichiban still hobby trainer’s best greyhound
Hobby trainer Michael Wallworth, for a fourth time this year made the trip over from New Gisborne to Mount Gambier last Sunday with his staying greyhound Vega Black.
And while Vega Black, from 61 starts, boasts a more than handy record of 12 wins and 13 minor placings for close to $42,000 in prize money, he still rates his first-ever greyhound purchased as his best.
Smokin’ Ichiban, a white and black son of Big Daddy Cool and Magical, was the dog in question. Whelped in July 2007, he died only recently at 17 years of age after having been purchased as a six-month-old pup by Wallworth.
“Yes, he was my first dog and still my best,” Wallworth said. “He won 11 races on Victorian tracks and also scored a Group 2 win over 747 metres at Wakanui in New Zealand.”
Vega Black, a son of Cosmic Rumble and Black Eva, and his litter sister Extravagance, a winner of nine races and just under $41,000 in prize money, were also purchased by Wallworth as pups.
Vega Black’s past three starts at Tara Raceway have all been over the 732 metre journey with the 35 kilogram black dog defeating Redshift Uniform by a length in 43.69 seconds on July 14 prior to running second to Clint Trengove’s Crypto Monelli on August 4.
Interestingly, Trengove had trained Vega Black for Wallworth between April 2022 and January 2023.
Last Sunday saw Vega Black and the long odds-on Redshift Uniform clashing again in the Cadillac Racing Free For All. And once again it was the former who virtually led all the way to defeat the Jason Newman trained favourite by 3¾ lengths in 43.85 seconds.
At Tara Raceway for the first time was long-time Lara trainer Craig Treherne, lining up with Aston Typhoon in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Maiden Stake (400 m) but better known for greyhounds such as Highly Explosive and Echelon.
Chasing his first win in nine starts, the brindle dog came out running from box two and never looked like losing when running out a seven length winner over kennelmate Aston Geiko in a smart 23.14 seconds.
“I certainly didn’t expect him to jump like that,” Treherne said. “But I’d been looking for a track with a bit of galloping room and with the smaller fields today it worked out pretty well.”
Highly Explosive, a daughter of Barcia Bale and Explosive Madame, raced on only 30 occasions for 10 outstanding wins at Sandown Park, Geelong, Warrnambool, Sale, Horsham and Maitland.
Owned by Luke Miller, Highly Explosive whelped two litters last year by Fernando Bale and Bernardo.
Echelon, a beautifully bred son of Mogambo and Off Springer, was a Group 2 winner over 720 metres at Wentworth Park in 2011 and also placed on three other occasions in Group events.
Tarpeena owner-trainer Malcolm Keenan wrapped up a successful week with Lektra Remi – a winner up the straight on the Tuesday at Murray Bridge over 300 metres in a best of day 16.37 seconds prior to another win at Tara Raceway last Sunday.
The white and black daughter of Fernando Bale and Lektra Perry led all the way in the Gordon Refrigeration Stake (512 m), holding out a strong finishing Saint Raine to win by a neck in 30.21 seconds.
A give away greyhound, Lektra Remi has now raced on 10 occasions for Keenan for five wins and five minor placings.
Millicent trainer Dave Green also enjoyed another good week when Sher Zany, after settling in second spot in the Greyhounds As Pets Stake (595 m) at Angle Park last Thursday night, finished strongly for a 2¼ length win over Apilla in 34.75 seconds.
And at Tara Raceway last Sunday, the Green-trained Paw Some Storm brought up her 24th win when leading all the way in the Carlin & Gazzard Mixed Stake (400 m) and defeating Mister Cadillac by 1¼ lengths in 23.11 seconds.
A member of the successful Bernardo x Dusseldorp litter, Paw Some Storm is owned by Green and Jason Newman of Moorak who also race Sher Zany.
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Litter’s winning run continues
The winning run of the Sennachie x Serene Rose litter – bred, owned and trained by Bob Wombwell of Coleraine – continued at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway.
Eskimo Ruby, having only her fifth race start for 2024 in what has been an interrupted year due to seasonal issues, opened her winning account at start number eight when leading all the way in the Federal Hotel Maiden Stake (305 metres).
On the line the fawn bitch had a length to spare over Galactic Raven in 18.22 seconds. And in winning, Eskimo Ruby became the eighth winner – all raced by Wombwell – from the litter of 11.
There have been a couple of standouts – Eskimo Larry and Eskimo Roger who won 12 races and nine races respectively for prize money of $32,000 and $41,000.
Serene Rose raced on only 19 occasions for two wins at Mount Gambier with Wombwell saying this would be her only litter given that she had been whelped in April 2017.
“I am keen to keep the line going, though,” he said. “One of her pups, Eskimo Fly, has won six races at Horsham and Warrnambool and collected more than $16,000 in prize money so I am seriously considering breeding a litter with her.”
A training/litter double with Tested and Burn The Bend gave Koroit trainer Peter Keane his best day at Tara Raceway since April last year when he landed a treble.
By Shima Shine out of Lulumon, Tested chased Quantum’s Dream for much of the 400 metre journey in the Category 2 Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Fast Forward before finishing strongly for a length win in 23.49 seconds.
And Burn The Bend, chasing her first win since a maiden success over 400 metres at the track back in December for owner Barry Paton, stormed home for a two length win over Eskimo Moana – a litter sister to earlier winner Eskimo Ruby – in a TG1-4W Stake (512 m) in 30.27 seconds.
Keane’s treble last year comprised Hello Keen, who equalled the 305 metre record with a run of 17.28 seconds, Mighty Molly and Crafter Road.
Katoni’s racing career had kicked off at Tara Raceway back in May 2022 but after stints at Reynella, Murray Bridge and Glenroy the son of Magic Sprite and Majestic Tale finally found himself a permanent home at Rochester with Darren Petersen and Aroha Hemingway.
The black dog was back again last Thursday, but now with 105 starts and 21 wins to his name. And for Hemingway he kicked off a running double when leading all the way and defeating Cadillac Landau by 1¼ lengths in the Carlin & Gazzard Stake (400 m) in 23.43 seconds.
In the following race, the Commercial Hotel Stake (400 m), Hemingway’s Sugar Bowl Rose chased Hot Cadillac into the home straight before finishing strongly for a 1½ length win in 23.24 seconds.
The daughter of Feral Franky and seven-race winner Little Tubbsy is a winner of three races at Shepparton and two at Mount Gambier since Hemingway took over the black bitch’s training at the beginning of February.
The widely-travelled Rochester couple collectively has now won 14 races at Tara Raceway this year.
For the second consecutive time-graded meeting litter sisters Saint Sally and Saint Shell brought up a double for Koroit owner Peter Byrne and Glencoe trainer Dean Fennell.
A brindle daughter of Tommy Shelby and Mepunga Prue, Saint Sally’s win was her fourth at Tara Raceway. Always within striking distance, she finished strongly in the Produce Store TG1-4W Stake (400 m) for a four length win over Zipper His Zip in 23.90 seconds.
And Saint Shell brought up her sixth win when leading all the way in the Icon Signs Stake (512 m), for a 4¼ length win over Sir Patrick in 30.19 seconds.
Heats of a time-graded Fast Forward 1-4 Wins (512 m) will be run today with the Category 2 prize money final run next week.
Kicking off September’s time-graded calendar will be a best to worst grading meeting on Thursday, September 5. The remainder of the weekly Thursday time-graded meetings for September will be worst to best graded meetings.