The Pereis Syndicate – comprising Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club president Noel Perry of OB Flat and Portland-based Brian Weis – were quick to come up with a plan after Rough Boy Buddy’s first-up win back on May 1, 2022.
That was the day the brindle dog, then trained by Perry, won a 305 metre maiden event at Tara Raceway by 6¾ lengths in a smart 17.58 seconds.
By the following month the son of Worm Burner and Xtreme Gift had found his way to Victoria and joined the powerful Britton kennels at Lara.
And by the end of June he had registered two second placings at The Meadows provincial meetings over 525 metres.
Subsequently, two provincial wins followed at The Meadows.
Then the rot set in.
“He was sidelined for three months after his last win in August,” Perry said.
“But, upon returning to the track, Rough Boy Buddy finished well down the line – once again at The Meadows – and soon after he returned to my kennels.
“On the back of another three-month break, he resumed again, this time at Tara Raceway over 400 metres.
Still no joy, though.
Rough Boy Buddy injured a hock which required an operation in Adelaide.
“Then, about four months ago, Brian took him back to Portland where he was sea walking him.”
Fast forward close to 10 months since the hock injury and Rough Boy Buddy, now being trained by Weis, resumed at Tara Raceway on Sunday, November 5 over 400 metres.
“He settled in third spot behind Silk Sonic and worked home well to finish in third spot when beaten a bit over five lengths in 23.04 seconds,” Perry said.
“We were really happy with the run. I just did not need a phone call that night from Brian.”
But Rough Boy Buddy was back the following Sunday – chasing his first win in 15 months.
This time he never looked like being beaten when leading all the way and defeating Aston Butters in 23.19 seconds.
“I reckon you could say that was a win for the ages,” said Weis, who had the “comeback kid” engaged at Horsham on Tuesday in a heat of a VicBred Series over 410 metres.
Meanwhile, another president in Rob Gore of the Warrnambool Greyhound Racing Club, also enjoyed success on the same day at Mount Gambier with Moonlight Storm.
Having her first start at Tara Raceway, Moonlight Storm led all the way from box eight in the Trackside Pet Meats Pick 6 Stake (512 m), running out a 6¾ length winner over Mr. Tandiki in 30.17 seconds.
“We actually brought her over for a confidence-boosting run and it really worked out well given the way the race panned out for her,” said Gore, involved in the sport for more than 30 years.
Bred by the owner-trainer, Moonlight Storm is by Mepunga Cruzer out of Colden Star, a daughter of Collision and the US-bred Express Links who won two races prior to relocating to Australia where she won a further six races.
Colden Star won 18 races, 10 of those wins being at Tara Raceway between 2016 and 2018 for Heathmere-based Roger and Bea Bryant who these days reside at Marrakai in the Northern Territory.
Colden Star’s first litter was by Mepunga Cruzer’s older full brother Mepunga Blazer (Barcia Bale x Mepunga Nicky) and bred by Bea Bryant.
This was a litter that turned out to be pretty successful and included Carry On Angel (23 wins, $185,000 in prize money), Carry On Liam (8, $56,000), Carry On Maxwell (8, $45,000), Carry On Star (12, $120,000) and Colden Dayto (14, $44,000).
“So when I was looking for a sire for Colden Star’s second litter I decided on Mepunga Cruzer, given his pedigree.
Then it was a matter of hoping that she could come up with more of the same,” Gore said.
“I kept a dog and a bitch from the litter.
Moonlight Storm has now won four races and as I’m pretty keen on the breeding side of greyhounds in due course I’ll be looking to breed a litter with her.”
Other winning members of the second litter include Carry On Jack (6, $22,000), Colden Mandella (8, $25,000), Colden Mina (8, $21,000) and Dinner’s On (6, $16,000).
