First starter Myola Nick – bred, owned and trained at Purdeet by Annette Kampman – took the time honours in last Sunday’s revamped John Reid Memorial Maiden at Tara Raceway.

First run in 2005 when won by the Robert Halliday trained Itza Bee, the memorial until this year had been run over 512 metres.

However, a gradual decline in nominations resulted in the series this year being switched to 305 metres.

And the time-honoured series attracted strong support with four heats being conducted as the lead-in to this Sunday’s eight-dog $2500 final.

Drawn in box one in the third heat, the well-supported Myola Nick, who came into the series on the back of several coursing stakes at Lang Lang, led all the way and defeated Lynette Ann by 6½ lengths in a quick 17.54 seconds.

Whelped in November 2021, the son of Aussie Infrared is out of Pocket Queen, a one-race winner over 660 metres at Bendigo and a litter sister to Dundee Calypso, a winner of 15 races and $124,000 in prize money.

Lynette Ann is one of four members of the Spring Gun x Daisy Maree litter reared from eight months of age at Allendale East by David Peckham for Murray Bridge owner Anthony Lapinskas.

Cadillac Ragtop kicked off the memorial heats with an impressive first-up performance from box eight.

Taking the lead off the back, the black February 2022 bitch defeated Leaping Gazelle by 5½ lengths in 17.87 seconds.

Owned and trained at Edenhope by Kerry Hawker, Cadillac Ragtop is a daughter of Premier Fantasy out of Pamela Rocks and was bred by Captain Abbott.

The couple has enjoyed considerable success at Tara Raceway with Pamela Rocks progeny through matings with Matt’s Entity, Fernando Bale and now the Irish sire Premier Fantasy.

Leaping Gazelle,a July 2021 daughter of Aston Duke and Zippy’s Me Mum, is owned by Christine Yourgules and Peckham who purchased two pups from the litter at 14 weeks of age from Victorian breeder Simon Mallia.

“The original plan had been to place her in the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program but my thoughts were that we should not give up with the dog so named because she runs like a gazelle,” Yourgules said.

She’s now back training a greyhound – for the first time since 2020-2021 when Billie Burner won two races at Tara Raceway.

With four minor placings from six starts, Velocity Georgia was rewarded for her consistency when virtually leading all the way in the second heat and defeating first starter Mocambora Mia by 2¼ lengths in 18.02 seconds.

By Jury out of Velocity Bottino, Velocity Georgia, a November 2021 whelping, is owned by Steve Williams and trained at Mortlake by Peter Crawley.

Mocambora Mia, purchased as a pup by Scott Blacksell of Cape Bridgewater, is a December 2021 daughter of US sire Superior Panama out of Sweet On Me, a winner of 21 races, including the 2020 Summer Classic (512 m) at Tara Raceway.

As far as the fourth heat was concerned it was a case of just what the doctor ordered after Eskimo Roman, at start number six, took advantage of early interference before running out a 5¼ length winner over Compton Charlie in 18.17 seconds.

Bred, owned and trained at Coleraine by Bob Wombwell, Eskimo Roman is a son of Sennachie and Serene Rose who raced on only 19 occasions for two wins at Mount Gambier over 400 metres and 512 metres.

For Wombwell, who said it was good to be back, it was a case of racing a greyhound at Tara Raceway for the first time in 2023 after spending much of the year hospitalised.

“I kept the whole litter and so far four have raced and won.

“I have now sent two of those, Eskimo Larry and Eskimo Roger, to fellow Victorian trainer Steve White who trained the sire Sennachie, a winner of 18 races and more than $700,000 in prize money,” he said.

Another first starter in Compton Charlie did not have much luck in running for Compton trainer Tracie Price and his wife Karen.

By Aston Kimetto, Compton Charlie is out of Cairnlea Pebbles, a beautifully bred daughter of Fabregas and Cairnlea Ellie, and a winner of nine races and $17,500 in prize money.

Price won the 2015 John Reid Memorial Maiden in 2015 with My Pal Houston while Peckham was successful in 2006 with Bourne Destiny and again last year with Lochinvar Cahill.