Koroit hobby owner-trainer Lindsay “Blue” Brookes landed his third double this year at Tara Raceway when littermates Hop To and More Cash won the first two races at last Thursday’s Mount Gambier time-graded meeting.
Both greyhounds led all the way, Hop To at start number five defeating kennelmate Kevin’s Lane by 5¾ lengths in 17.76 seconds in the Exchange Printers Maiden Stake (305 metres).
And More Cash was also having his fifth start when defeating Compton Brockie by four lengths in the Metal Worx Maiden Stake (305 m) in a time of 17.81 seconds.
Brookes’ previous doubles had come back on January 8 when Typhoon Thomas and Popcorn Miss had been successful.
And on March 16 with Black Street and Swirling Miss.
The four winners are all members of the Zambora Brockie x Sisco Sizzle litter.
Bred by Brookes, Hop To and More Cash are by Tommy Brislane out of Sunningdale who had won eight races for media identity Geoff Slattery – also the owner of the sire.
A son of Premier Fantasy and Mary Virginia, Tommy Brislane won the 2014 Group 1 Dapto Megastar (520 m) – “a good dogs’ race” – before breaking down several months later.
And Tommy Brislane served only a handful of bitches in Australia with Sunningdale being his last in 2021.
However, he proved a success at stud when sent to Ireland.
Another impressive maiden winner last Thursday was the Tracie Price trained Compton Lass, a daughter of Aussie Infrared and 16-race winner Banjo Lass.
Having her third race start, the black bitch led all the way from box one in the Todd’s Photographics Stake (400 m), eventually running out a seven length winner over litter brother Flax Mill and clocking 23.38 seconds.
Flax Mill, owned and trained at Penshurst by Brendan Casey, made a fair sort of race debut when running 23.87 seconds – a time that should have him winning a maiden pretty soon.
Compton Lass’s win was the first leg of a “Compton” running treble for Price who then followed up with Gumdrops and Charlie.
Compton Gumdrops, a daughter of Mepunga Blazer and 2020 Christmas Cup winner Golly Gumdrops, virtually led all the way from box two for a 4¾ length win over Cadillac Burns in the Commercial Hotel TG1-4W Stake (400 m) in 23.46 seconds.
And Compton Charlie led all the way in the Gambier Vets TG1-4W Stake (400 m), bringing up his fourth consecutive win when holding on to defeat Yadillah Lad by a nose in 23.45 seconds.
Peter Byrne, Koroit greyhound educator and trainer, finally broke through for a second win with Saint Kimetto in the Hyland Fox TG1-4W Stake (400 m).
A maiden winner at Horsham over 410 metres back on December 27, the white and black dog led all the way at last Thursday’s meeting when defeating Cadillac Jilly by 8½ lengths in a best of day 23.20 seconds.
“There you go, it just goes to show what he can do when he puts his mind to it,” said Byrne.
Saint Kimetto is by Aston Kimetto out of Mount Gambier winner Miss Lava who won her last race at the local track on October 20, 2017 when she defeated Big Rough.
Then on the following night at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne, the Byrne-owned Moraine Suzie was named the Victorian Stayer of the Year at the 2023 Victorian Greyhound Awards.
By My Redeemer out of Miss Bo Wicked, Moraine Suzie is trained at Lara by Brendan Pursell.
She commenced the 2022/23 racing year with a third placing in the 2022 Group 1 National Distance Championship after winning the Victorian National Distance final.
She then went into the Group 1 Topgun Stayers at The Meadows as a reserve and claimed the $75,000 first prize.
Moraine Suzie also reached the finals of the 2022 Group 1 Bold Trease and 2022 Group 3 Christmas Cheer prior to finishing runner-up in the 2023 Group 1 Zoom Top.
She rounded out an excellent 12 months when claiming the $75,000 first prize in the Listed Pink Diamond Champion Distance final at Warragul.
All told, Moraine Suzie accumulated 11 wins, three seconds and three thirds during the 2022/23 racing season.
