Ron makes the right call - Mount Gambier Week in Review
Time honours to reserve runner
With time-graded meetings at Tara Raceway graded “worst to best” it’s a case of the reserve runners – in theory at least – being the best dogs in the race.
And that was the case at last Thursday’s meeting in the Klaassens Contractors TG1-4W Stake (512 m) when reserve runner Lamia Fawn gained a start from box seven.
Trained at Mount Cottrell by Paul Cusack, the daughter of US sire Superior Panama out of three-race winner Ice Gambler went straight to the front before running away to a 6½ length win over Saint Madix in 29.76 seconds.
The win was the second leg of a double for Cusack after Quantum Master took the time honours in the Exchange Printers Stake, the first of two heats of the monthly Fast Forward TG1-4W (400 m).
By Spring Bridge out of Spring Bella, the brindle dog was always on the pace from box six, taking up the running off the back and scoring a three length win over Flying Madeline in a time of 23.63 seconds.
The training double – his fourth this year – continued Cusack’s good run at Tara Raceway when bringing up his 19th win.
In the second heat of the Fast Forward – the Produce Store Stake – Big Deb Osti led all the way from box four and held out Princess Cordite for a half-length win in 23.77 seconds.
Owned and trained at Berringa by Michael Niele, the black daughter of Bernardo and Eureka Osti was the second leg of a treble for the long-time trainer who earlier had won with Majestic Max in the Icon Signs Maiden Stake in 18.18 seconds.
Later, Rocket Susie was Niele’s third winner when virtually leading all the way from box one in the Greg Martlew Autos TG1-4W Stake (400 m) and holding out Highway for a 1¼ length win in 23.17 seconds.
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Industry recognition for Mount Gambier couple
Ray Fewings and David Lewis first crossed paths back in the early 1960s out at Waterloo Corner where greyhound racing was being conducted on Sunday afternoons.
That was a time when there was no mechanical lure or legalised betting. No, that was a time when the greyhounds chased a specially-trained greyhound pilot dog that, even like the lures of today, sometimes failed to complete the course.
And if you wanted a bet, you had to seek out Doggy Brennan who always had one eye on the road leading into the track in case the constabulary had decided to make a surprise visit.
Even back then, Fewings was out there trying his hand at race calling. And he was always going to be a great caller.
Lewis used to go out to Waterloo Corner with his Somerton Park-based grandfather, Perce Alsop, who had trained coursing greyhounds, judged coursing events and by then was president of the SA National Coursing Association (NCA).
It wasn’t long before Fewings was calling the greyhounds and Lewis was racing his own greyhound at Waterloo Corner. Later, pilot dog racing would be conducted at Elizabeth, Campbelltown, Murray Bridge and at Thebarton Oval.
And as a forerunner to greyhound racing as we know it today, mechanical hare racing with no betting was conducted at Bolivar.
When legalised greyhound racing was finally given the go ahead, licences were allocated by the NCA – the controlling body at the time – to Angle Park, Gawler, Strathalbyn, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Pirie and Mount Gambier.
The paths of Fewings and Lewis had crossed from time to time over the years and once again crossed last Saturday night at the TAB Greyhound of the Year awards at Angle Park in Adelaide.
Fewings, a Greyhound Racing SA board director, made the presentation for Outstanding Service to the Industry to Mount Gambier-based Lewis and his wife Ruth, long-time secretary of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club.
“I’d raced greyhounds at Glenburnie and one day prior to TAB racing being introduced at the Lake Terrace East venue we basically just walked in – and never left,” Lewis said.
“The Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club comprises a lot of good people – from the current president Noel Perry down. And it’s a club that makes visiting trainers and newcomers to the track more than welcome.
“Also, our charity-based Tara Tipsters competition is so unique to this industry. And it remains a very positive feature among many negative issues currently being promoted.”
Lewis said of all the congratulatory messages they had received, a short one from his brother Steve, who lives in Cairns, had best summed up the award: “Perce would have been so proud.”
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Ron makes the right call
Ron Rogers, the Bendigo-based greyhound trainer come football commentator, made the right call last Thursday when nominating Northern Regie for Mount Gambier’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway.
And it was even better when the black dog drew box eight in the Gambier Vets TG5+W Stake (400 metres). Matching motors early with She’s Fired Up, Northern Regie finished strongly in the home straight for a one length win over Victa Jayde in 23.61 seconds.
“He’d run third to Katoni the last time I was over here about 12 months ago so I thought it was probably about time I brought him back for another look,” said Rogers after training his first Tara Raceway winner.
“Northern Regie’s been a handy pick up, having now won five races since I purchased him. Also, he’s pretty honest, is always thereabouts in his races and loves box eight.”
By Hooksy, he’s out of Cinnamon Rose who raced on 100 occasions for 20 wins. Interestingly, for a short period in 2018 she was trained at Glenroy by Richard Clayfield who won three races in succession with Cinnamon Rose at Tara Raceway.
Twelve months ago, Clayfield was also training Katoni. Current trainer is Aroha Hemingway and the son of Magic Sprite was successful last Thursday in the Winning Post SuppliesTG5+W (400 m) when defeating Acoustic Flash in 23.09 seconds.
The 58-year-old Rogers, involved with greyhounds since he was 18, has also enjoyed recent success with the well-bred Sydney Show, a son of Fernando Bale and Super Tora.
“He’s been going ok and recently won at Shepparton and Horsham,” he said. “And for something different, he contested a coursing stake at Longwood last weekend.”
A couple of greyhounds that Rogers still has fond memories of are Stormswift and Runaway Ralfy.
“Stormswift won at Olympic Park, Bendigo and Wangaratta. She also ran second in a Vic Breeders final over 511 metres in August 1990. That final actually contributed to more than half of her overall prizemoney.
“And Runaway Ralfy raced on 106 occasions for 21 wins at Shepparton, Healesville, Horsham, Wagga, Ballarat, Temora, Warrnambool and Geelong.”
Rogers is also one of the National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS) commentators who call the AFL live from a tiny booth to some of the most remote communities in outback Australia.
He has 25 years under his belt of calling AFL. And not only does he commentate, he sets up the microphones and equipment before each game to broadcast on the AFL website and to NIRS affiliated radio stations around the country.
Meanwhile, Mount Gambier 732 metre record holder Zipping Neutron established another track record last Friday night in the Newcastle Knights Stake (715 m) at The Gardens in NSW.
Trained at Munno Para by Tim Aloisi, Zipping Neutron led all the way for a 7¾ length win over Skinny Juan in 41.34 seconds.
However, the record stood for only 30-odd minutes after Valpolicella ran a time of 41.23 when a sensational winner of the $500,000 “715” final.
And running third in the “715” was Canya Amy, part-owned by Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club sponsor Leigh Schreier of Progreyhoundtips.com.
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Another big day for Lenehan
It was another big day at Tara Raceway last Sunday for long-time Toolong trainer Phil Lenehan when he landed his fourth treble at the track this year – this time with Lektra Remi, Penguin Pat and Lektra Layla.
And Lenehan now looks to hold a strong hand in the forthcoming Tankman 600 Dual Challenge – 512 metre heats to be run on Sunday, May 19 and the 600 metre final on Sunday, May 26 at Tara Raceway.
In fact, the Gambier Vets Mixed Stake (600 m) probably revealed a few contenders.
Penguin Pat, a son of Ritza Lenny and It’s A Shame, led all the way from box one when defeating Skye Made Me, Blue Phoenix and Purified by 1¼ lengths in 35.18 seconds.
Skye Made Me, a last start 600 metre winner, stepped up in grade and lost no friends when running a gallant second. Also losing no friends was the strong-finishing Blue Phoenix – out of former top distance performer Miss Bellawood.
As far as the Tankman 600 is concerned, Lenehan also is likely to run Lektra Trigger after his 5¾ length second behind Jack Trengove’s Sharing in 35.08 seconds in the Todd’s Photographics Stake (600 m).
Lektra Remi kicked off Lenehan’s treble when virtually leading all the way in the Cadillac Racing Stake (400 m) and defeating Archer One by a length in 23.12 seconds.
And littermates Lektra Layla and Lektra Tony made it a kennel quinella in the Klaassens Contractors Stake (400 m) – 2¾ lengths separating the pair in 22.87 seconds.
Lenehan’s first treble of the year was back on January 28 with Penguin Pat, Lektra Tony and Lektra Tinsel. A week later, he won with Yesterday’s Hero, Lektra Fred and Lektra Tinsel. Then a month later with Lektra Layla, Lektra Tony and Lektra Tinsel.