Hamilton trainer Tony Harding continues to do well with Penshurst Lass, his pint-sized 22 kilogram blue bitch making a real mess of the opposition when winning the Metal Worx 5+W Stake (400 metres) by nine lengths at Tara Raceway last Thursday.

Even better was that long-time mate and part-owner, Dennis Peach of Hamilton, had made it to the track to finally see his dog run.

He could not have picked a better day.

Penshurst Lass, who has now raced on 75 occasions for six wins and eight minor placings, is owned by the Blue Syndicate, which comprises Peach and Doveton-based Cathy Flahavin.

She is their first greyhound.

“By Lightning Frank out of Jimary Siesta, we purchased her as a pup for $2000 from Penshurst breeder Brendan Bunworth,” Peach said.

“Then we placed her with Michael Niele at Berringa for rearing before she was broken-in at Koroit by Peter Byrne.”

And Peach, something of a Hamilton legend back in the 80s, did not need much encouragement to re-tell the story of the Argyle Arms Hotel and the quarter horse.

“Admittedly, I’d had a few, but I still remember the night I rode my quarter horse through the front bar of the Argyle Arms,” he said.

“The next thing I know the police have been called and I’m being marched down to the police station.

“But it never went much further because it seems the police had no idea what to charge me with.”

Sticking with the Penshurst theme and long-time breeder-trainer John Cameron landed his first double last Thursday when litter sisters Agnes and No Joke were successful in 1-4 wins events over 400 metres.

By Lightning Frank out of 12-race winner Fascinated – a daughter of Hutmaker and Spellbound – Agnes led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake when defeating Myola Frost by a neck in 23.79 seconds.

And No Joke put in a solid effort to win the Hyland Fox Stake by 2¼ lengths over Zambora Jade in 23.51 seconds.

For both greyhounds it was a case of bringing up their second wins, Penshurst-based Cameron conceding that it had not been all plain sailing with the pair.

“No, I have to admit there had been times when I had my doubts as to whether I would ever get them going.

“But one thing’s for sure, they definitely race better here at Tara Raceway behind the finish-on-lure,” he said.


GRSA to launch ‘Family Fun in the Sun’

Greyhound Racing SA is to launch a “Family Fun in the Sun” campaign in January and February.

GRSA Marketing Manager, Matt Watson, said the campaign would include a comprehensive marketing program across TV, radio, print and digital.

“The goal will be to generate patronage at each of our venues across the four headline dates,” Watson said.

“The promotion of the events will focus on the family-friendly element and have a lesser focus on the feature races.”

Each club will host a feature race in January or February: Gawler, January 22 (Golden Maiden); Angle Park, January 26 (Doug Payne); Murray Bridge, February 5 (Murray Bridge Sprint); Mount Gambier, February 12 (Summer Classic).

The feature races at Gawler, Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier will carry $10,000 each in prizemoney while Angle Park’s Doug Payne will be worth $14,250.

“The events will have a strong family focus with kids’ activities, trackside music, bars and food,” Watson said.

He said, in the near future, the marketing team would work with each of the club managers on the specifics of the events.

Mount Gambier’s Summer Classic, run over 512 metres for greyhounds whelped on or after January 1 two years prior to the event, was first conducted at Tara Raceway in February 2015.

Winner of the inaugural classic was Cryer’s Ricky (Spring Gun x Cryer’s Midget), owned by Margaret Cryer and trained by her husband Tom at Apsley.

Cryer’s Ricky actually only gained a start in the final from box four after Peter Franklin’s Mojito Mayhem – later a Mount Gambier Cup and dual Anniversary Cup winner – was scratched.

Cryer’s Ricky, who went on to win 22 races, made a one-act affair of the 2015 Summer Classic when leading all the way to defeat Franklin’s Future Past in a time of 29.96 seconds.

And the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club extends it condolences to Kevin Ashton of Charlton on the passing last week of his long-time partner Jan Neal.