As far as Apsley couple Tom and Margaret Cryer had been concerned, it was the start of a Sunday morning ritual – a trailer-load of greyhounds, breakfast at Penola and then a day at the Mount Gambier dogs where more often than not a winner or two would be forthcoming.
It had all begun with a bitch called Cryer’s Midget who had won 11 races at the Mount Gambier track – the majority coming prior to the introduction of TAB racing at Tara Raceway in 2012.
In 2013 she was mated with Spring Gun with a repeat mating following in 2015.
All told, more than 150 winners came from the two litters – feature race winners and track record holders also thrown in for good measure.
But it was Cryer’s Ricky, from the first Spring Gun litter, who was instrumental in the mating of Cryer’s Midget with the Group 1-winning Spud Regis.
A one-time Tara Raceway 400 metre record holder with a time of 22.78 seconds, Cryer’s Ricky also won the inaugural Summer Classic (512 m) in 2015 and picked up a service to Spud Regis.
Cryer’s Harper was the pick of Cryer’s Midget’s final litter after winning 22 races and finishing second to Black Spring in the 2019 Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year award.
And when ill-health forced Tom Cryer into care in 2020 it was Nicole Stanley and Nifty Lenehan of Portland who took over Cryer’s Harper and bred two litters with her – by Orson Allen and Kinda Cruel Red.
So far, the Lenehan-trained Mushy, who opened his winning account last Thursday in the Progreyhoundtips.com Maiden Stake (305m), is the only one to race from the Orson Allen litter.
Lining up from box four on the back of three previous unplaced runs at Mount Gambier, the brindle dog was slowly away but quickly rounded up the field before running out a 2¼ length winner over Sudoku Jade in 18.12 seconds.
“That’s by far the best run he’s put in,” Lenehan said.
“Now, hopefully we can have another three or four of the litter racing in the next few weeks.”
US sire Kinda Cruel Red’s litter out of Cryer’s Harper was whelped in June 2022.
Blessed with amazing early and mid-race speed, the 2016 All-American was a winner of 50 races.
Tom Cryer died in Edenhope in June 2022 at the age of 89.
Margaret Cryer relocated to Adelaide to be closer to family.
Meanwhile, Kev Patzel, who has won the past three Tara Tipsters competitions, looks like he might have picked up a cheap purchase in Wario, a former NSW chaser who arrived at trainer David Peckham’s Allendale East kennels with a win at Dapto and two at Grafton.
On debut at Tara Raceway, the son of Pindari Express and Fiery Crash never looked like being beaten when leading all the way in the Icon Signs TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
On the line he had seven lengths to spare over Compton Brockie in a best of day time of 22.84 seconds.
“He actually found his way here via Matt Clark’s Briagolong kennels.
Wario had trialled really quick time but was subsequently beaten by 19 lengths in a grade five no penalty event at Sale over 435 metres,” Patzel said.
“Dave said the asking price was $1000 if I was interested but did point out that Wario had a few hang ups.
Anyway, it has not turned out too badly given the dog’s already given me a return.”
Patzel has now raced three greyhounds with all of them having won a race.
Previously Limousine had won at Mount Gambier over 305 metres in October 2021.
Later, the owner and dog were the subject of a photo shoot after a limousine was driven out to the track!
And Extra Stout won up the 300 metre straight at Murray Bridge in January this year.
