This is a story that has been told before, but given last Thursday’s results at Tara Raceway it’s probably worthy of a recap.
It’s the one about owner-trainer Andy Graham and the two 12 month old unnamed male and female pups he had been rearing in a yard on his Portland property.
And the female’s unexplained weight gain.
“Well, it soon became painfully obvious that she was in pup,” Graham said.
“It also soon became painfully obvious the dog – later to be named Bad Boy Tex – preferred being a sire rather than a racing dog.
“Needless to say, he soon found himself re-homed in the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program.”
In March 2020 the female in question – subsequently named Millie Bay – whelped her litter by Bad Boy Tex.
Then, 15 months later, she made her racing debut at Tara Raceway with a third placing.
And she brought up her third win at Tara Raceway when leading all the way in last Thursday’s Gordon Refrigeration Stake (400 metres).
On the line she had half a length to spare over Gypsy Warrior in 23.61 seconds.
By Sulzanti, Millie Bay is out of Cee Anna Rose (Bombastic Shiraz x Senni Wendy) who Graham rates as one of the better dogs he has raced in an involvement spanning close to 20 years.
“She raced on only 18 occasions for wins at The Meadows, Ballarat and Warrnambool.
“And later, she produced some handy performers from the four litters she whelped.”
Race one at last Thursday’s meeting, the Commercial Hotel Maiden Stake (400 m), saw the return of See Anna Bay, one of Millie Bay’s pups from that unplanned mating back in early 2020.
And the brindle bitch led all the way from box one when defeating Tough Talk by 3¼ lengths in 23.58 seconds.
In third spot was another of Millie Bay’s progeny in Sea Storm Bay.
As it turned out, this was to be the start of a somewhat rare occurrence – mother and daughter both winning on the same day.
The double was Graham’s second for the year – Rose Bay and See Nitro successful on February 3.
Also landing her second double this year, this time with Pat The Tiger and Mustang Molly, was Julie Green who trains at Parwan in partnership with her husband Lewis.
Pat The Tiger, a nicely bred daughter of Fernando Bale and Kerrigan Bale – a winner of close to $100,000 in stakemoney – took the lead turning for home in the Carlin & Gazzard MG Stake (400 m) before holding out Starlight Tina for a length win in 23.43 seconds.
Raced by Troy Maynard and partners, Pat The Tiger was part of Green’s earlier double this year at the Mount Gambier track when Bourbon Louie was also successful.
Last Thursday’s second leg of Green’s double was Mustang Molly who had been chasing her second win since August last year when successful in a maiden event over 330 metres at Temora.
The white and black daughter of Fernando Bale and 23-race winner Uno Suzie took up the running down the back straight from tearaway leader Striking Holly in the Bartholomew Pick 6 Stake (512 m).
And showing no effects from a run over 500 metres three days earlier at Traralgon, Mustang Molly strode away for a 3¾ length win over Santino Gold in 30.49 seconds.
Green, who arrived in Australia from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia back in 2009, has now been training greyhounds for close to 12 months.
For Pirate Paddy, an all the way winner of the Hyland Fox Maiden Stake (400 m) in 23.41 seconds, it’s been a case of returning to where it all began – Ecklin South and trainer Peter Fulton.
By Mepunga Blazer out of You Rippa Pippa, who won nine races and $22,000 in stakemoney, Pirate Paddy, who is raced by the Darren Wright-managed DJS Syndicate, was bred, reared and broken-in by Fulton.
Before last Thursday, the white and black dog had raced on only two occasions at Broken Hill in April before finding his way back to Fulton – well acquainted with the line – at the end of the month.
“Yes, I have had a bit to do with the breed, having trained You Rippa Pippa’s litter brother Mick’s Advice throughout his 59-start career for 10 wins and $44,000 in stakemoney,” he said.
Fulton’s last winner at Tara Raceway was in January with Joffa’s Liberty.
Meanwhile, heats of the monthly Fast Forward 1-4 wins series over 400 metres will be run today.
Previous winners of the heats and final series have been Recapture Time (David Peckham) 23.31, Lubbock Lad (Christian Roberts) 22.99 and Aston Knock (Paul Cusack) 23.29.
