Green making his mark at the Mount
It was a Greyhound Racing SA marketing local television advertising campaign focusing on racing at Tara Raceway that first attracted Millicent school teacher Dave Green’s interest in the sport. The TV advertisement had made it look pretty good so Green and his wife Keston set aside a Sunday afternoon and headed to Mount Gambier with their two girls, Kaia and Hadlie.
They then continued to take in local greyhound racing meetings whenever time allowed. And Green said he found it eventually got to the stage that he was looking to become further involved. This involved obtaining a handler’s licence through GRSA in order that he could ultimately catch and box greyhounds on trial and race days.
“Trainers Jason Newman and Kerry Hawker were terrific. They made dogs available for me to handle and were always happy to answer any questions I had,” Green said.
“Actually, we’ve found Tara Raceway to be a really friendly place, whether it’s mixing with trainers, staff or patrons.”
Then, in June this year, he landed his first winner as an owner when Paw Some Shade was successful in a maiden event over 305 metres at the local track.
She’s by Blue Moon Rising out of Dyna Zapto with Green selecting the October 2021 white and brindle bitch when she was a pup.
“I offered Dave a share in one of the pups in return for all the help he has given us on race days,” the Moorak-based Newman said.
And, at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting last Thursday, Green handled Paw Some Storm who led all the way in the Produce Store TG5+W Stake (400 metres) when defeating Curly Fries by 4¾ lengths in 23.39 seconds. Also on track to witness the win was locally-based Henri Capewell who races the Mel Freitag-trained blue daughter of Bernardo and Dusseldorp in partnership with Liam Mason.
Newman, who trains in partnership with Freitag, said the win had been very pleasing for all concerned given the length of time Paw Some Storm had been off the racing scene.
“We had her being trained for a while with Lauren Harris at Finniss. But after winning two races at Murray Bridge the December 2020 whelping sustained an Achilles injury which saw her off the scene for close to three months.
“Last Thursday’s win came at only her second run back and as soon as Dave’s trainer’s licence is sorted out Paw Some Storm will join his kennels.
“And believe me, he’ll be a welcome addition to the local training ranks.”
Meanwhile, Compton Charlie, a 21-length winner at Tara Raceway at the end of last month, made it three successive wins when leading all the way in the Cadillac Racing Fast Forward final (400 m).
On the line, Compton Charlie, a son of Aston Kimetto and Cairnlea Pebbles, had a length to spare over a fast-finishing Cadillac Lloyd in 23.42 seconds.
Raced by Tracie and Karen Price, in partnership with the Commercial Hotel, Compton Charlie is trained by the former at Compton.
The win was Price’s third 400 metre Fast Forward win this year and follows on from Honey Rocks and Jayville Zorro.
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It was a busy day last Thursday for Koroit greyhound educator-trainer Peter Byrne and his 15-year-old son Talor who had eight runners engaged at Mount Gambier’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway. And at the completion of the 12-race program they’d landed two winners – Saint Shell and Majestic Jewel – both greyhounds trained in the name of the boys’ wife and mother, Narelle.
Bred and reared by Peter Byrne, Saint Shell is by Tommy Shelby – a winner of 31 races and a million dollars in prize money – out of Victorian city winner Mepunga Prue. Lining up from box two in the Hyland Fox Maiden Stake (400 metres), the brindle bitch had no trouble in bringing up her first win at start number three when leading all the way for a 4¾ length win over Mt. View Barkley in 24.03 seconds.
Majestic Jewel won her second race for the year when leading all the way in the final race, the Ary Sports Bar & Bistro TG1-4W Stake (400 m), for a 4¾ length win over Yadillah Son in 23.46 seconds.
“I picked her up after she had won a maiden back in late 2021,” Byrne said. “A few months later, she was sent to Melbourne. But when blowing a certain win at Sandown Park after losing concentration she soon found her way back to Koroit – and that’s where she’s been ever since.
“Actually, she’s one of those ‘back me next week’ dogs. She often tends to appear unlucky in her races and more often than not leaves you with the feeling that next week will be the week. Generally it’s not.”
There was no time to be hanging around Tara Raceway after the double. The team of eight was quickly loaded and Peter and Talor – an outstanding junior footballer – were back on the road and heading for footy training.
And, later that night, Byrne’s top stayer Moraine Suzie was contesting the Victorian National Distance Final over 730 metres at The Meadows.
Last for much of the journey, Moraine Suzie stormed home to finish second to Zoha Bale, beaten less than four lengths. And in doing so, the daughter of My Redeemer and Miss Bo Wicked collected $3335 and took her prize money earnings to $274,160.