With a win each at last Thursday’s time-graded meeting, the Terang training team of Mark Roberts, wife Catherine and son Christian collectively brought up 50 winners for the year at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway.
The Catherine trained Nyssa’s Girl, a daughter of Out Of Range x Mepunga Nyssa, kicked off the family’s big day when finishing too strongly for a length win over Myola Knight and Myola Dawn in 23.76 seconds in the Carlin & Gazzard MG Stake (400 m).
Then, it was Christian’s turn with Lubbock Lad in the Exchange Printers Stake (400 m).
Third early, the son of Aston Dee Bee x Louisiana Lil gave a great display of railing on the rain-affected track when defeating Bourne Brett by 2½ lengths in 23.33 seconds.
And wrapping up the family’s big day was Hatchet Harry who was having his first start for Mark Roberts.
He took over the training of the son of Zambora Brockie and Midnight Maid after the black dog had raced twice at Tara Raceway for a well-beaten sixth which had been followed up several days later with a fourth placing and a 28 days suspension for marring.
But Hatchet Harry did the job pretty well in the Williams Crane Hire Stake (400 m) when coming from well back to run down the Catherine Roberts trained Hand In Glove for a 3¼ length win in 23.36 seconds.
The win came in a heat of the monthly Fast Forward series – in this case six heats being run with the fastest eight greyhounds, irrespective of finishing position, advancing to today’s final which will carry Sunday prizemoney.
Hatchet Harry made it through to the final as did Hand In Glove who clocked 23.59 seconds.
The Roberts family will be chasing another Fast Forward success after Lubbock Lad had won the April series in a quick 22.99 seconds.
Other quick qualifiers included the Tracie Price trained Mister Banjo who took time honours with a run of 23.30 seconds in the Metal Worx Stake after winning a maiden first-up the previous week.
And Scott Blacksell’s Mocambora Izza impressed with a win in 23.37 seconds in the Todd’s Photographics Stake when defeating her litter sister Mocambora Bella who failed to make the cut.
First starters give local trainer good start to the day
Wins by first starters Aston Boston and Bourne Nancy in the first two races at Tara Raceway last Sunday gave Allendale East trainer David Peckham a good start to the day.
Aston Boston, a son of the imported Bella Infrared and Aston Chanel, led all the way in the Klaassens Contractors Maiden/One Win Stake (400 metres) to defeat Late Mail by 4¼ lengths in 23.42 seconds.
And Bourne Nancy also led all the way when defeating another first starter in Cadillac Star by 1¼ lengths in the progreyhoundtips.com Maiden Stake (305 m) in 17.81 seconds.
By Bernado, Bourne Nancy is out of eight-race winner Dusseldorp, a nicely-bred daughter of Barcia Bale and Call Me Gee.
In the following race, Bourne Nancy’s littermates Mr. Anderson and Paw Some Storm fought out the Commercial Hotel Stake (305 metres) for Moorak trainer Melissa Freitag.
Raced by Jason Newman and Derek Anderson, Mr. Anderson had burst onto the scene in explosive fashion back in late June when winning first up over 305 metres by 10½ lengths in 17.78 seconds.
Away much better in last Sunday’s Juvenile race for greyhounds under two years of age, Mr.
Anderson soon found the front from box two before powering away to a 5½ length win over his sister in 17.36 seconds – only a length outside the track record.
The day turned out pretty well for Newman who trained the quinella in the final race, the Trackside Meats Stake (400 m), when Velocity Lotus led all the way to defeat Wind Burn Flash by 4½ lengths in 23.08 seconds.
And the day also turned out pretty well for Peckham who was also successful in the 305 metres Greg Martlew Autos Masters Stake (305 m) when Denzell Bale led all the way to hold out a determined Jaggered for a half-length win in 17.41 seconds.
Masters races are for greyhounds aged 3¾ years and older, with preference given to the older dogs.
Denzell Bale, a January 2018 whelping by Barcia Bale x Houston Bale, has now raced on 123 occasions for 25 wins and stakemoney close to $60,000.
Peckham ended the day with four winners after Aston Rocket led all the way from box one to defeat Louie Lou by three-quarters of a length in the Carlin & Gazzard MG Stake (400 m) in a personal best time of 22.98 seconds.
