Local clients from Claro Aged Care and Disability Services have become quite the regular racegoers at Tara Raceway’s Thursday afternoon greyhound meetings.

In fact, the Tara Tipsters who have already thrown their support behind local charities such as the Sunset Kitchen, Foodbank, the Visually Impaired Club of Mount Gambier, the Grantville Court Thrift Shop and Four Reasons Why, have now gone into bat for the Claro clients.

And greyhound owner Kevin “KD” Douglas, also well known for his outstanding local charity work, has gone out of his way to make sure the Claro clients enjoy their days at the dogs.

“When Teresa starting bringing out the clients to the track I said to local trainer David Peckham that perhaps in an honorary capacity they could race a couple of his better chances for the day.

“If, in fact, any happened to win then they could have their photograph taken with the dog,” he said.

“It’s worked well with the clients getting up close and personal with the greyhounds and quickly realising what beautiful and friendly animals they are.

“Other trainers have also been very supportive, in particular Kerry Hawker who has gone out of her way to allow the Claro clients to interact with her dogs and to be photographed with them.”

One of the clients looking for a more “hands-on” role at the track had been 30-year-old Jarrad Williams.

“His involvement in the sport goes back a number of years to when his great-uncle Les Reichelt of Kapunda raced greyhounds at Angle Park and Gawler.

This is where Douglas, who currently leads the Tara Tipsters competition, once again stepped in.

“While Jarrad would have been required to be licensed to catch greyhounds at the conclusion of a race, my thoughts were that perhaps he could become involved by leading a designated dog back and then hand it over to the trainer,” he said.

“I ran my suggestion past chief steward Barry Shepheard who was happy for me to work in with Jarrad when I was catching greyhounds.

“Actually, all the stewards at Tara Raceway have been very understanding.”

He commenced his hands-on role last Thursday.

And everything went well – except that by the time the last race had been run he still had not been able to lead back a winner.

Lektra Nick won the final race, the Williams Crane Hire Stake (400m).

That made it a father-son double for Doug and Paul Hammerstein of Ararat after Crackerjack Lach scored earlier in the day in the Exchange Printers Stake (400m).

Returning with the winner, and standing in for his father, was Paul Hammerstein who asked the “newcomer to the ranks” if he wanted to join him in a photograph with Lektra Nick.

He did not have to ask twice. And all of a sudden this had been a pretty special day at the dogs for Jarrad Williams.

Departure Gate on track for SEGRC Cup start

Departure Gate, winner of the 2022 Carlin & Gazzard MG Mount Gambier Cup and currently a clear leader in the Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year, looks to be on track for the forthcoming South East Greyhound Racing Club 50-Year Anniversary Cup (512 
metres).

This follows an impressive win – his 15th this year – by the son of Fernando Bale x Tarks Nemesis at Warrnambool last Thursday night for Moorak trainer Jason Newman.

Always on the pace from box six, Departure Gate went to the line strongly when defeating Wizardry Tricks by three lengths in a best of night time of 25.34 seconds.

“He was super,” said his delighted trainer.

Newman said if everything went to plan then Departure Gate, a winner of more than $83,000 in stakemoney, would tackle next month’s $5000 event.

“The 50-Year-Cup looks a good race for him because he certainly knows how to win at Tara Raceway given his record of 12 wins there this year.”

The 50-Year Anniversary Cup is being run to commemorate the formation of the South East Greyhound Racing Club which took place at a public meeting in the Mount Gambier City Hall on September 14, 1972.

Heats of the open event will be run on Sunday, September 11 with the final a week later.

Meanwhile, Giant’s Flash – Tara Raceway’s dual track record holder over 512 metres and 600 metres – brought up his 18th win this year when successful last Friday at Angle Park over 530 metres.

Trained at Compton by Tracie Price, the son of Banjo Boy and Navada Flame went into the back straight in third spot before finishing powerfully in the run home to defeat Sutton Prince by 3¼ lengths in 30.43 seconds.