The Tara Tipsters have just wrapped up another series of fundraising for a local charity – this time the charity of choice being Mount Gambier’s Ryder-Cheshire Home Foundation.
And proceeds from the series will be presented to representatives of the organisation on Sunday, August 13 at Tara Raceway.
For the unaware, the Tara Tipsters is by and large made up of a group of regular racegoers at the track for the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s weekly Thursday and Sunday meetings.
From humble beginnings a couple of years ago the “chase for charity” has grown in stature to the extent the Ryder-Cheshire series involved more than 20 tipsters.
And while vying for nothing more than bragging rights they also were contributing a few dollars each week to the “charity of choice jar”.
Michael Robinson was one of the Tara Tipsters involved right from the beginning.
In fact, his involvement in greyhound racing goes back to the Glenburnie days when he was the chief steward.
He’s also been an owner and trainer, was awarded life membership of the MGGRC in 1995 and is currently a committee member.
Robinson won the Tara Tipsters competition back in February 2022 when the Grantville Court Thrift Shop was the charity of choice.
And he also won the Ryder-Cheshire series after defeating Craig Grubb by 10 points.
Other Tara Tipsters local charities have been Foodbank, the Visually Impaired Club of Mount Gambier, Four Reasons Why, Claro/Quaran Care, the Mount Gambier Community Christmas Lunch, ADRA and the Mount Gambier Cancer Council.
Meanwhile, Mount Gambier couple Sarah Hutchesson-Webb and Jake Powell’s world earlier this year was turned upside down after their 16-month-old daughter Mia was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic disorder that affects the nervous system.
And for its next series – commencing on Sunday, August 6 – the Tara Tipsters will join with the Mount Gambier community and throw its support behind the family as they prepare for the harrowing journey ahead.
Mia’s parents are now focused on treating her symptoms to prolong her life and making her as comfortable as possible.
Tay-Sachs disease has no cure and a life expectancy of four to five years.
Big Merv bowls ‘em over
Young Harry Trengove of Lewiston, at Tara Raceway’s time-graded meeting last Thursday with his father Clint’s team, could not believe what was unfolding in front of him.
Here was Big Merv, a son of Zinzan Brooke and Stitch ‘em Dolly, tearing around Tara Raceway and defeating Bungaloo Darcy by seven lengths in a best of day time of 29.72 seconds.
“Can you believe that?” Trengove asked no one in particular as he collected the fawn dog after his all the way win in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 TG5+W Stake (512 metres).
“It was only a week ago that he was beaten by 14 lengths when running 32 seconds over 530 metres at Angle Park.
And his best time here over the distance had previously been 30.42 seconds.”
Trengove was one of three trainers on the day to land doubles – Compulsory Hero finding the front down the back before defeating Hannah Rocks by 3 lengths in the Exchange Printers TG5+W Stake (512 m) in 30.03 seconds.
Lew Green, of Parwan, landed a running double with Shell City and Waffle House while Langhorne Creek trainer Tony Hinrichsen was successful with Zipping Garth x Mercedes Monelli littermates Jukebox Duke and Zip Along Lulu.
And Compton trainer Tracie Price’s Compton Charlie took winning margins to a new level at Tara Raceway in the Rocks Tavern Maiden Stake (400 m).
By Aston Kimetto out of nine-race winner Cairnlea Pebbles, Compton Charlie led all the way from box one when defeating Demon Stynes by 21 lengths with a further 19 lengths to Sir Tom in third spot.
Having only his third race start, the December 2021 black dog clocked a tidy 23.21 seconds.
