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.
SA Country Cup prize money increase
Prize money will be increased from $2400 to $4000 for this year’s SA Country Cup heats, to be run at Murray Bridge (530 m – Friday, September 20), Mount Gambier (512 m – Sunday, September 29) and Gawler (531 m – Sunday, September 29).


And the final of the $8500 SA Country Cup will be run at Angle Park over 530 metres on Adelaide Cup final night, Friday, October 11, as a G-SIX 


event.


The Mount Gambier Club will be permitted to include non-SA trainers provided the interstate trainer has had starters at 10 Mount Gambier meetings in the previous 12 months and the interstate trainer has trained the greyhound nominated for the previous two 


months.


Applying to all tracks is the greyhound must have started at least twice in the past 12 months at the track it is attempting to represent.


There will be a maximum of two heats per club with the winners of each heat qualifying. 


If there is only one heat conducted then the first two placegetters will qualify.