Remarkable training feat headlines Mount action!
Only four races required for trainer’s five winners
For the second consecutive Sunday, David Peckham of Allendale East trained five winners at Tara Raceway but at last week’s Category 2 meeting he required only four races to complete the task.
Littermates Bourne Franky and Bourne Swift kicked off their trainer’s big day in the third race – the Williams Crane Hire Grade 6 Stake (400 metres) – when they were unable to be split on the line.
Bourne Swift, a last start maiden winner, quickly opened up a big break over the strong finishing Bourne Franky who had run third the previous week behind another Peckham-trained littermate in Bourne Model in the John Reid Memorial Maiden (512 m).
But the line came too quickly for Bourne Franky – although only just. And after what seemed an eternity, a dead heat was posted.
And while dead heats crop up from time to time, this was one with a difference given that both greyhounds are with the same trainer and are from the same litter – by Feral Franky out of Sweet On Me.
The last dead heat at Tara Raceway had been in May last year when Melissa Freitag’s Breezed In and Shayne Fisher’s Fifield crossed the line together in a 400 metre event.
From a truly local perspective the last dead heat had been the previous August when John Little’s Bungaloo Josh and Noel Perry’s Rough Girl Kody couldn’t be split.
Peckham’s third winner of the day came up in the following race, the Todd’s Photographics Stake (600 m), with Warringah Bale, a rising five-year-old and 107 starts to his name.
Owned at Murray Bridge by Becc Weinert, the son of Fernando Bale and Parsec Bale settled in second spot early behind tearaway leader Purified before finishing strongly in the home straight for a two length win in 35.39 seconds.
Then, in the Klaassens Contractors Stake (400 m), the Peckham owned and trained Bourne Nancy led all the way for a 1¼ length win over Barra Banjo in 23.19 seconds.
And bringing up his fifth winner, and a kennel quinella in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (400 m), was Mavie who led all the way when defeating Bourne Model by 4¼ lengths in a quick 22.88 seconds.
First starter Super Spook kicked the day off for trainer Tracie Price with an 8¾ lengths win over Cheques To Burn in 18.18 seconds in the Exchange Printers Maiden Stake (305 m).
The black bitch is owned locally by Garry Harding who picked up the daughter of Superior Panama and Oriental Amber as a giveaway from Echuca breeder Rod Clark who also trains Mighty Quinn, runner-up to Chapel Road in this year’s Cadillac Racing Mount Gambier Cup.
“She’s certainly well bred, being by a US sire while her dam was a winner of 27 races and $78,000 in prize money,” said Harding. “But Rod found she was a bit full on for where he resides so he had to move her on.”
Harding said while he was now intending to send Super Spook to NSW where she would race at Temora and Wagga, his long-term goal was to mate her with Giant’s Flash, which he part-owns.
Trained by Price, Giant’s Flash won 26 races, formerly held the Mount Gambier 512 metre track record at 29.19 seconds and still holds the 600 metre record at 34.58 seconds.
Meanwhile, Millicent owner-trainer Dave Green broke a three month run of outs when Sher Zany opened his winning account for his new owners in the Icon Signs Mixed Stake over 600 metres.
Purchased in June by Green and Moorak owner-trainer Jason Newman for $3000, the son of US sire Konomi and Sherbini led all the way for a three length win over Here To Burn in a smart 35.11 seconds.
The win came at the black dog’s fifth start for Green and Newman, who always believed it had been only a matter of time before Sher Zany – now a winner of 14 races and close to $100,000 in prize money – found winning form again at Tara Raceway.
“I believe Sher Zany has been a good pick-up for down here,” said Newman. “He’s won here in sub-35 seconds over 600 metres and also over the distance at Cannington, The Meadows and Sandown Park so he should be a good addition to the staying ranks.
“And when Redshift Uniform recently returned here from WA the opportunity was there to try and boost our distance numbers in order that we may be able to further promote distance racing.”
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Another family double for Camo
It was back in early December 2022 that long-time Penshurst owner-trainer John Cameron landed his first double – with litter sisters Agnes and No Joke at a Mount Gambier time-graded meeting.
And at last week’s Tara Raceway time-graded meeting he trained his second family double when December 2021 littermates Jacaranda and Smart Operator were successful in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Maiden (305 metres) and the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
By Allen Deed, the pair is out of Little Queeny, a well-bred daughter of US sire KC And All and staying bitch Lektra Kelly who won 11 races and $30,000 in prize money.
“I purchased Little Queeny as a three-month-old pup from Toolong breeder Phil Lenehan,” said Cameron. “Later she won a couple of races at Warrnambool and Mount Gambier before Nifty Lenehan of Portland bred the litter with her.”
Jacaranda was chasing her first win at start number 11 and it soon developed into a two-dog race between her and Bungaloo Jake with Cameron’s white and black bitch getting the nod in a time of 18.22 seconds.
And Smart Operator, chasing his first win since March, never looked in any danger of defeat when leading all the way from box four and defeating Mocambora Mia by 4¾ lengths in 23.20 seconds.
The Portland-based Lenehan was also among the winners when Santa Barbara virtually led all the way in the Winning Post Supplies TG1-4W Stake (400 m), defeating Tested by two lengths in 23.42 seconds and bringing up her third win.
Litter sister Rosales has also been racing well for Lenehan and co-trainer Nicole Stanley. She won two 400 metre races at Tara Raceway in July in quick times of 22.76 seconds and 22.83 seconds.
The black bitch then gave plenty of cheek at Warrnambool last week when running second over 450 metres to Bun Undercurrent in 25.67 seconds.
Parwan trainer Julie Green brought up her fourth time-graded double this year at Mount Gambier when Wild Halle and Gracie Pacey were successful last week.
Wild Halle, a daughter of Barcia Bale and Wild Flyer – a winner of 14 races and $49,000 in prize money – got up in the last bound to defeat Hotfoot Piggy in the Cadillac Racing Maiden Stake (305 m).
And Gracie Pacey – also by Barcia Bale – led all the way in the Produce Store TG1-4W Stake (305 m) when defeating Sophie’s Beast by half a length in 18.09 seconds.
Back at Tara Raceway last week with a couple of his more than 100-start veterans was Warracknabeal owner-trainer Ian Bibby who is also president of the Horsham Greyhound Racing Club.
Bibby had been over earlier in the month with Crymelon Comet, a 125-start five-year-old son of Hawk Alone and Crymelon Holly who had been successful over 400 metres.
While there had been no joy last week for Crymelon Comet in the Federal Hotel TG5+W Stake (400 m), earlier in the day his litter sister Crymelon Ivy had been successful in the Exchange Printers TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
Lining up for start number 123, and chasing her fourth win, the brindle bitch led all the way from box two and held on to defeat Cawbourne Gia by half a length in 23.92 seconds.
Accompanying Bibby and making her first visit to Tara Raceway last week was Katrina Spicer of Horsham who enjoyed the day.