As far as local lads Bayley Bresolin and Tane Wastell were concerned it was a case of sooner rather than later when it came to winning their first race with their first greyhound – aptly named Sooner Or Later.
They race the white and blue dog in partnership with Ben Price who is certainly no stranger to successful greyhounds given his father Tracie is Mount Gambier’s leading trainer.
In fact, at the end of October, Price snr was South Australia’s leading trainer with 185 winners.
The trio purchased the son of Fernando Bale and El Rapido after breaking-in.
And there was an air of expectation at Tara Raceway last Thursday when he lined up for his first start in the Williams Crane Hire Maiden Stake over 400 metres.
And the newcomers to greyhound racing must have marvelled at just how easy it all is when Sooner Or Later led all the way for an 8¼ length win over Frenetic Fury in 23.42 seconds.
No doubt their more experienced partner – Price jnr – would have suggested they enjoy the win because sometimes in the greyhound game things do not necessarily go to plan.
There’s certainly not too much wrong with the winner’s breeding – his sire needing no introduction and the dam, El Rapido, a former handy NSW stayer who collected close to $70,000 in prize money.
Tracie Price has also enjoyed plenty of success with her first litter – by Zambora Brockie and including Buster Banjo, El Banjo and Mister Banjo.
Last Thursday’s time-graded meeting was also something of a family affair for the Price clan after Fawn Lawn, raced by Ben’s sister Sarah, later in the day was successful in the Rocks Tavern TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
By Aussie Infrared – the sire of last Saturday night’s Melbourne Cup winner Aussie Rocks and runner-up Big Energy – out of Headline, Fawn Lawn quickly found the front from box three before running out a two length winner over Yadillah Son in 23.53 seconds.
Meanwhile, Koroit trainer Lindsay Brookes continued his good run this year at Tara Raceway with another litter double when Swirling Miss and Mr.
Quirky were successful in the Klaassens Contractors TG5+W Stake (400 m) and Exchange Printers TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
By Zambora Brockie out of Sisco Sizzle, Swirling Miss led all the way from box one, defeating Zambora Sam by 1¾ lengths in 23.28 seconds.
And Mr. Quirky finished over the top of kennelmate Hop To for a half-length win in 23.54 seconds.
The previous Thursday, Brookes – recently awarded Warrnambool Greyhound Racing Club life membership – had also trained a double with Swirling Miss and Family Friend successful.
All told, he has trained 19 winners at Tara Raceway this year.
And Thursday regular, Julie Green of Parwan, brought up her 11th Tara Raceway win this year when Cawbourne Gia finished over the top of Compton Brockie for a half head win in 23.40 seconds in the Hyland Fox TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
The win was the fourth for the daughter of Lucky Chap and Cawbourne Zulu who is owned at Maryborough by Robert Colquhoun, purchaser of the white and black bitch prior to her winning a race.
It was good to see Coleraine owner-trainer Bob Wombwell back at Tara Raceway on Sunday with Sennachie x Serene Rose littermates Eskimo Sugar and Eskimo Roman that he also bred.
Now, while the pair was unplaced in their respective races, the previous night at Sandown Park’s Melbourne Cup meeting their litter brother Eskimo Roger contested the Group 3 Provincial Plate final over 515 metres.
The finish between Smooth Plane and the Wombwell-owned Eskimo Roger – trained at Buln Buln East by Steve White – was the closest thing you’ll ever find to a dead-heat.
However, in the end it was Smooth Plane who got the nod and the $28,000 first prize.
Eskimo Roger’s connections, perhaps still lamenting what might have been, collected a more than handy second prize of $8500.
