It was back on June 1 that Bridgewater Bob, owned and trained at Berringa by Michael Niele, was successful in a heat of the monthly 400 metre time-graded Fast Forward series for greyhounds that had won between one and four races.

And given the final for this format is made up of the fastest eight runners from the heats, irrespective of their finishing positions, Bridgewater Bob was ensured a final spot – and a crack at the added prize money – when running a best of day time of 23.28 seconds.

On that occasion he defeated the speedy Gypsy Chick by three-quarters of a length but come the final a week later he enjoyed little luck in running and had to settle for fourth placing behind the Chick.

Bred at Portland by Robert Halliday, Bridgewater Bob is by Bernardo out of Spirited Bingle – a winner of 14 races at Tara Raceway and one at Angle Park in 2018-2019 when trained by Halliday.

Spirited Bingle is a daughter of Collision and Kokoda Spirit, who won the 2013 SA Oaks at Angle Park.

Niele was back at Tara Raceway last Thursday for the monthly Fast Forward 400 metre series – Bridgewater Bob lining up from box five in the final heat on the back of some handy form at Ballarat over 390 metres.

Now, it has to be said, the final heat of the Fast Forward series (400 m) is always the toughest.

Often it will produce more than its fair share of finalists as was the case last week in the Gambier Vets Fast Forward heat.

Niele’s black dog quickly found the front and was never headed, eventually holding out Sweet Lynette to win by 1¼ lengths in 23.49 seconds – once again the fastest of the four Fast Forward heats.

The winner and runner-up made it through to the final, as did third, fourth and fifth placegetters Cadillac Lloyd, Mjolnir To Burn and Minh Ellie.

This then left first and second in heat two – Cundare North-based Kevin Quinn’s Cosmic Leilani and Cadillac Beast – and from Hamilton, Lorraine Goodwin’s Sins To Burn, winner of heat three, to make up the eight-dog final.

Cosmic Leilani, a giveaway after breaking-in, led all the way in the Williams Crane Hire Fast Forward heat, eventually defeating Cadillac Beast by two lengths in 23.96 seconds.

By Cosmic Rumble out of Daisy Lara, a winner of 26 races in New Zealand, Cosmic Leilani’s last win had been at Tara Raceway on June 8, the same day that Sins To Burn had also last won.

In the Todd’s Photographics Fast Forward heat, Sins To Burn chased Kaniva Cadillac until to the home turn where the son of Aston Kimetto and Slew Left powered away up the home straight for a 7¼ length win in 23.64 seconds.


Zipping Neutron delivers for charity

As far as the locally-based Tara Tipsters “Chasing for Charity” initiative was concerned there had been a bit riding on last Friday night’s Premier’s Cup (730 m), one of the feature races on Adelaide Cup night at Angle 
Park.

Adelaide trainer Tim Aloisi, one of the Tara Tipsters, was the winner of the recently-completed tipping series which had supported 22-month-old Mia Powell, diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and has no cure.

Aloisi had also pledged $1 for every point he scored in the series.

In the end this equated to something like $450.

He also had his outstanding stayer Zipping Neutron engaged in the Premier’s Cup.

And he had pledged an extra $1000 to the Mia Powell fund if his greyhound won the $10,000-to-the-winner first prize.

A winner of 14 of his past 16 starts, including a track record 42.73 seconds over 732 metres at Tara Raceway on July 23, his main danger looked to be top Victorian stayer Moraine Suzie whose stake earnings were nearing $300,000.

In the end, though, Zipping Neutron led all the way, eventually defeating Moraine Suzie, owned at Koroit by Peter Byrne, by three-quarters of a length in 42.87 seconds.

Aloisi was as good as his word.

It took only 1½ hours for the $1000 to be added to the fund.

“I certainly wish the family and the little girl all the best,” he said.

Toolong owner-trainer Phil Lenehan’s Lektra Rhino won the Mia Powell Tara Tipsters Cup (512 m) which preceded a presentation to Mia’s parents, Sarah Hutchesson-Webb and Jake Powell.

And Lenehan also extended his best to the family as they continue to make little Mia’s life as comfortable as possible.