Off to a flying start at Tara Raceway has been the September 2022 My Redeemer x Vossy litter, bred at OB Flat by Noel Perry, president of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club.
A daughter of Dyna Double One and Miss Freelove, Vossy raced on 45 occasions for 13 wins at Mount Gambier, Angle Park and Gawler.
All told, her first litter comprised two dogs and five bitches with three – Rough Girl Mel, Rough Girl Slim and Rough Boy Russ – reared, owned and trained by Perry.
The remaining four are still to be named.
On debut at a recent Sunday Tara Raceway meeting had been Rough Boy Russ and Rough Girl Slim – their owner-trainer full of expectation given the lead-up to their respective races.
“The breaking-in report had been good,” Perry said.
“And their trials at Tara Raceway leading up to their first starts had also been promising.”
Rough Boy Russ was the first of the litter to race when drawing box eight in the Rocks Tavern Maiden Stake (305 metres).
And after displaying plenty of early pace he had no luck in the run home when finishing third.
But in the following race, the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (305 m), Rough Girl Slim led all the way from box one, holding out Mooball to win by a half head in 17.94 seconds.
Then at Tara Raceway last Thursday it was Rough Girl Mel who opened her winning account when defeating Cricket Tragic by a half-length in the Ary Sports Bar & Bistro Maiden Stake (305 m) in 18.23 seconds.
Meanwhile, at that same recent Sunday meeting, Down South Queen and Sam’s Girl – both owned by Ecklin South shearing contractor Sam Negrello – ran the quinella in the Greg Martlew Autos Maiden Stake (400 m).
Having only her second start, the pint-sized 22.4 kilogram Down South Queen, a daughter of Tommy Shelby and Little Zoe, led all the way and had two lengths to spare on the line in a time of 23.73 seconds.
The winner is trained at Mortlake by Peter Crawley whose association with Negrello goes back to a time when he was training Little Zoe.
“It was back in 2021 that I received a call out of the blue from Sam to see if I would be interested in training Little Zoe who had recently won a maiden race at Warrnambool.
“I said I’d give her a go but she did not win another race so it was pleasing to be able to at least win with one of her pups,” he said.
Sam’s Girl, a daughter of Fernando Bale and Sixteen Pegs, is trained by Peter Fulton, also of Ecklin South.
And Allendale East trainer David Peckham, following a win last Thursday with Captain Red Tin in the Carlin & Gazzard TG5+W Stake (400 m), was successful the next day at Murray Bridge with Federal Flash who defeated the Matt Clark trained Sunnyside Zeus over 455 metres in 25.97 seconds.
Clark, who made the waterbag trip across to Murray Bridge from Briagolong – 180km east of Melbourne – also won with the Peckham-owned Black Viper, a recent Traralgon Cup finalist, over 455 metres in 25.84 seconds.
“I’m now looking at the Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier Cups with Federal Flash,” Peckham said.
“And while Matt is now keen to tackle the Murray Bridge Cup I do not think he’s that keen on Mount Gambier’s two-bend track with Black Viper.
“But he is focusing on the Mount Gambier Cup with Sunnyside Zeus, a winner of 16 races and $150,000 in prize money, who he believes would be suited by the track.”
Compton trainer Tracie Price, after wins with Compton Minnie in the Metal Worx TG1-4W Stake (400 m) and Compton Brockie in the Commercial Hotel TG1-4W Stake (400 m) last Thursday at Tara Raceway, followed up at Murray Bridge with Myall Mate and Wild Banker winning on the Friday.
Now he’s preparing to launch an all-out attack on both the Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier Cups.
“At this stage I’m hoping to kick off in the Murray Bridge Cup with Mister Banjo, Wild Star, Wild Banker, Myall Mate, Honey Rocks, Bad Move and Myall Man and then follow up in the Mount Gambier Cup,” he said.
