Long-time greyhound trainer Tony Hinrichsen of Langhorne Creek continued his successful Tara Raceway run at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting when landing his second double this year at the Mount Gambier track.
Kicking off his winning day was Blazing Gold, a short-priced favourite in the Federal Hotel TG5+W Stake (512 metres).
And while the black dog appeared to be struggling in the early stages of the race by the time he turned for home he looked all over a winner, eventually defeating Cadillac Patch by 1¼ lengths in 30.48 seconds.
In Hinrichsen’s kennels since last September, nine-race winner Blazing Gold is a son of Koblenz and Maddison Kaye who won 15 races at Angle Park, Gawler and Murray Bridge.
Bred at Strathalbyn by Debbie Stuppos, Blazing Gold’s litter has turned out to be pretty handy and also includes Chilli Sal, Lenny’s Honey, Nowhere Man and Robert Chuck’s locally-based Huntsman.
Hinrichsen’s double came up in the following race, the Da’Leni Meats TG5+W Stake (512 m), after Captain Rita made it two wins in succession with an all the way win over a fast finishing Princess To Burn in a best of day 29.97 seconds.
His involvement in the sport goes back to the late 1970s when he was living in the Adelaide suburb of Plympton Park and he picked up a 21 kilogram giveaway greyhound by the name of Bundy And Coke.
By Magic Typhoon out of Dark Marabou, Bundy And Coke, who raced at Mount Gambier’s original Glenburnie track, later won in three states including Queensland where she ran a record 54.80 seconds at Ipswich over 875 metres.
In 2009 Hinrichsen purchased Fighting Fury for $600, the daughter of November Fury and Placaleena winning a heat of the 2011 Mount Gambier Cup (512 m).
Later, after a mating with Dyna Tron, she produced Menzel Boys who won the 2016 Summer Classic (512 m) at Tara Raceway.
And Lethal Fury, a litter sister to Menzel Boys, when mated with My Bro Fabio in November 2017 produced Balboa Fury, winner of the 2019 Winter Classic (512 m).
Meanwhile, after four runs in Victoria for Pyramid Hills couple John Caulfield and Judith Condo, Crowie Unleashed is now at Compton and being trained by Tracie Price for Garry Harding.
And the black and white dog became the ninth member of the 10-dog Beast Unleashed x Minnie Banjo litter to win when successful in last Thursday’s Carlin & Gazzard Maiden Stake (305 m).
Settling in second spot, Crowie Unleashed rounded up the tearaway leader Marma Phantom off the back before scoring a 1¾ length win in 17.96 seconds.
The litter was whelped in March 2023 and as such is well placed from an age perspective in regard to the forthcoming Autumn Classic which will be run over 512 metres in May for dogs and bitches whelped on or after January 1, 2023.
The event was first run in 2015 as the Summer Classic in the month of February and then more recently in January to coincide with the Family Fun Day.
But the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) this year has opted to run the event under the same age restrictions but several months later as the Autumn Classic.
The MGGRC is hopeful that, given the later time slot, there may be more young greyhounds ready to contest the age-restricted events.
Also, what was previously known as the Winter Classic (July 1, 2023 onwards) will now carry the name Spring Classic and be run in November.
The inaugural Summer Classic was won by reserve runner Cryer’s Ricky, owned and trained by Tom and Margaret Cryer of Apsley.
Stylish Moment, trained by Tracie Price, won the first Winter Classic in 2014.
And popular Portland trainer Robert Halliday was back among the winners for the first time this year after his brindle dog High Cube defeated Kansas Chief by a half head in the Williams Crane Hire TG1-4W Stake (512 m) in 30.30 seconds.
Now a winner of two races from six starts, High Cube is by Flying Ricciardo out of Miami Fernando and was whelped in February 2023.
From an age point of view, he’s another one to fit the Autumn Classic criteria, his trainer successful in the 2017 Summer Classic with Hutch who defeated Blitz And Bolt.
