Super Sunday headlines action at Mount Gambier
First starter Myola Nick – bred, owned and trained at Purdeet by Annette Kampman – took the time honours in yesterday’s revamped John Reid Memorial Maiden series at Tara Raceway.
First run in 2005 when won by the Robert Halliday trained Itza Bee, the memorial until this year had been run over 512 metres. However, a gradual decline in nominations resulted in the series this year being switched to 305 metres.
And the time-honoured series attracted strong support with four heats being conducted as the lead-in to this Sunday’s eight-dog $2500 final.
Drawn in box one in the third heat, the well-supported Myola Nick, who came into the series on the back of several coursing stakes at Lang Lang, led all the way and defeated Lynette Ann by 6½ lengths in a quick 17.54 seconds.
Whelped in November 2021, the son of Aussie Infrared is out of Pocket Queen, a one-race winner over 660 metres at Bendigo and a litter sister to Dundee Calypso, a winner of 15 races and $124,000 in prize money.
Lynette Ann is one of four members of the Spring Gun x Daisy Maree litter reared from eight months of age at Allendale East by David Peckham for Murray Bridge owner Anthony Lapinskas.
Cadillac Ragtop kicked off the memorial heats with an impressive first-up performance from box eight. Taking the lead off the back, the black February 2022 bitch defeated Leaping Gazelle by 5½ lengths in 17.87 seconds.
Owned and trained at Edenhope by Kerry Hawker, Cadillac Ragtop is a daughter of Premier Fantasy out of Pamela Rocks and was bred by Captain Abbott.
The couple has enjoyed considerable success at Tara Raceway with Pamela Rocks progeny through matings with Matt’s Entity, Fernando Bale and now the Irish sire Premier Fantasy.
Leaping Gazelle, a July 2021 daughter of Aston Duke and Zippy’s Me Mum, is owned by Christine Yourgules and Peckham who purchased two pups from the litter at 14 weeks of age from Victorian breeder Simon Mallia.
“The original plan had been to place her in the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program but my thoughts were that we shouldn’t give up with the dog so named because she runs like a gazelle,” Yourgules said.
She’s now back training a greyhound – for the first time since 2020-2021 when Billie Burner won two races at Tara Raceway.
With four minor placings from six starts, Velocity Georgia was rewarded for her consistency when virtually leading all the way in the second heat and defeating first starter Mocambora Mia by 2¼ lengths in 18.02 seconds.
By Jury out of Velocity Bottino, Velocity Georgia, a November 2021 whelping, is owned by Steve Williams and trained at Mortlake by Peter Crawley..
Mocambora Mia, purchased as a pup by Scott Blacksell of Cape Bridgewater, is a December 2021 daughter of US sire Superior Panama out of Sweet On Me, a winner of 21 races, including the 2020 Summer Classic (512 m) at Tara Raceway.
As far as the fourth heat was concerned it was a case of just what the doctor ordered after Eskimo Roman, at start number six, took advantage of early interference before running out a 5¼ length winner over Compton Charlie in 18.17 seconds.
Bred, owned and trained at Coleraine by Bob Wombwell, Eskimo Roman is a son of Sennachie and Serene Rose who raced on only 19 occasions for two wins at Mount Gambier over 400 metres and 512 metres.
For Wombwell, who said it was good to be back, it was a case of racing a greyhound at Tara Raceway for the first time in 2023 after spending much of the year hospitalised.
“I kept the whole litter and so far four have raced and won. I’ve now sent two of those, Eskimo Larry and Eskimo Roger, to fellow Victorian trainer Steve White who trained the sire Sennachie, a winner of 18 races and more than $700,000 in prize money,” he said.
Another first starter in Compton Charlie didn’t have much luck in running for Compton trainer Tracie Price and his wife Karen.
By Aston Kimetto, Compton Charlie is out of Cairnlea Pebbles, a beautifully bred daughter of Fabregas and Cairnlea Ellie, and a winner of nine races and $17,500 in prize money. Price won the 2015 John Reid Memorial Maiden in 2015 with My Pal Houston while Peckham was successful in 2006 with Bourne Destiny and again last year with Lochinvar Cahill.
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Lewiston owner-trainer Scott Feltus set the scene for a day of doubles at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting at Tara Raceway when leading in the first two maiden winners with litter brothers Safe Hands Bob and Derton Berton.
Slowly away from box two in the Commercial Hotel Stake (305 metres), Safe Hands Bob quickly put himself into the race before finishing strongly and defeating Melody Bay by a neck in 18.40 seconds..
And $2.30 favourite Derton Berton, a $100 chance at his previous start at Gawler, virtually led all the way in the Hyland Fox Stake (400 m) when defeating kennel mate Demon Stynes by 1¾ lengths in 23.89 seconds.
By US sire Superior Panama, the winning pair is out of Zipping Irene, a 535 metre winner at Richmond and at Wentworth Park over 720 metres. The wins were the first for the dam’s second litter which was whelped in September 2021.
“I actually purchased one of her first litter as a pup, which is now a rising three-year-old and still yet to win, from Sellicks Beach breeder Ossie Chegia but have had a bit more luck the second time around,” said Feltus, whose last local winner had been with Dasher Millane in April.
Feltus first became associated with greyhounds back in 2014 after a celebrated career in country football. The first time he raced at Tara Raceway was in June 2019 when he landed a treble with Twisted Missile, Nut Allergy and Bambalam Brandy.
Making the long trip down with him last Thursday was his 13-year-old daughter Lily, thoroughly enjoying her first time at the Mount Gambier track and who, it would appear, is hell-bent on following in her father’s footsteps.
“I’m hoping that later this year I’ll be able to become a 14-15 year old registered catcher,” she said.
“Also, I’ve been accepted into a squad of 13-16 year old girls who will train with the Crows AFLW team. And that should be really exciting.”
Meanwhile, also coming up with a running double – Subzero Annie and Emerley Aussie – was Jack Trengove, based just down the road from Feltus at Two Wells.
A daughter of Fernando Bale and the unraced Subzero Doll, Subzero Annie led all the way in the Carlin & Gazzard TG1-4W Stake (400 m) when defeating kennelmate Subverse by a length in 23.29 seconds.
Emerley Aussie, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and 24-race winner Emerley Avenue, led all the way in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG5+W Stake (400 m), eventually holding out another kennelmate in Daniel Sun for a three-quarter length win in 23.50 seconds.
And the following day, the Trengove trained Despairing opened her winning account in a maiden over 395 metres at Murray Bridge.
Compton trainer Tracie Price landed his 16th double at Tara Raceway this year with the wins of Buster Banjo and Spot On Yvonne, the former finishing full of running to defeat kennelmate Myall Hiker by 1¼ lengths in 23.29 seconds in the Produce Store TG5+W Stake (400 m).
Spot On Yvonne, a 400 metre maiden winner last month, found plenty in the Gordon Refrigeration TG1-4W Stake (512 m) when leading all the way for a nine length win over Boy From Hill in 30.19 seconds.
Price was also successful the next day at Murray Bridge with Buster Banjo’s litter brother Mister Banjo. The son of Zambora Brockie x El Rapido always looked to be travelling like a winner when holding out Blue Pride for a 1½ length win over 395 metres in 22.18 seconds.
Wrapping up the day of doubles was Berringa trainer Michael Niele, successful in the final two races with Arrow Bar Peanut and Gizmo Osti in the Metal Worx TG5+W Stake (400 m)..
Niele won his first race with Arrow Bar Peanut when the daughter of Aston Dee Bee and Samsara Lass led all the way in the Ary Sports Bar & Bistro TG1-4W Stake (400 m) and defeated Circular by a nose in 23.72 seconds.
And Gizmo Osti – chasing his first win this year and at 5½ years of age one of the oldest greyhounds racing locally – brought up the Niele double when finishing over the top of Worms Are Biting for a three-quarter length win in 23.78 seconds.