It was a day of trebles at last Thursday’s Tara Raceway meeting for Langhorne Creek trainer Tony Hinrichsen and also for Parwan-based Lew Green who trained three winners for the second successive week at a Mount Gambier time-graded fixture.

As far as Hinrichsen was concerned, it was his first treble at the track in two years after Stiff Upper Lip, Release The Fury and Bottled Fury had been successful at a time-graded meeting.

Littermates Let’s Go Fury and Major Tom Fury, by Worm Burner out of Spring Leesa – who went around on 177 occasions for 21 wins – won the second and third legs of last Thursday’s treble.

But it was first leg winner Filthy Phantom who highlighted Hinrichsen’s day.

Chasing back-to-back wins after being successful over 400 metres at Gawler on January 5, the son of Lochinvar Marlow x Ruby Swift led all the way in the Progreyhoundtips.com Stake (400 metres).

And on the line he had three lengths to spare over Aston Model in a best of day time of 23.18 seconds.

Not bad for a rising six-year-old that in the process took his Australian record for most number of race starts to 266.

On top of that, in November two of Hinrichsen’s brood bitches in Rusty Fury (124 starts) and Spring Leesa whelped litters of six and two respectively to Filthy Phantom.

Enjoying their time back at Tara Raceway’s Thursday meetings, Green, and his wife Julie, were successful at the meeting on January 6 with Natalia Lee, Wood Burn and Milly May before kicking off a busy week.

A couple of days later they were at Angle Park for the Saturday morning meeting before taking in Murray Bridge’s straight track where they won again on the Tuesday with Wood Burn.

Then it was back to Tara Raceway last Thursday, the pair striking an early blow with Newtown Jet who led all the way in the Exchange Printers Stake (400 m) when defeating kennelmate Pat The Tiger by 3¾ lengths in 23.35 seconds.

Later, two other Green kennelmates in Bobby McGee and Natalia Lee fought out the Greg Martlew Autos Stake (400 m), the former winning by half a length in 23.91 seconds.

And wrapping up another big day for Lew and Julie Green was Cawbourne Pin who took the lead from Flying Fuels down the back in the Commercial Hotel Stake (400 m) before hanging on to defeat Aston Judge by three-quarters of a length in 23.84 seconds.

Another trainer to enjoy a good week was Dean Fennell of Glencoe.

He was successful with Pongo on January 6 before following up at the Sunday meeting with Johnny Deeds and Velocity Alibi.

Bringing up four winners for the week was Saint Eilish at last Thursday’s meeting.

The daughter of Barcia Bale x Miss Lava led all the way in the Metal Worx Stake (512 m), hanging on in a desperate finish to defeat Saint Ellie by a head in 30.75 seconds.

A win by Saint Ellie would have been handy for Hamilton trainer Tony Harding who last won a race at Tara Raceway back on October 10, 2019 with Billy Deeds.

As things now stand, Saint Ellie’s record is one win from 89 starts.

Another GOTY title for Abbott
Back in 2019 it was Edenhope owner-trainer Cap Abbott’s wonderfully durable Black Spring who won the Mount Gambier Greyhound of the Year.

Mind you, not before a barnstorming finish from Cryer’s Harper (Spud Regis x Cryer’s Midget) who won nine of her last 11 starts for the year to also finish with 13 wins, but with less placings.

And there was a fair amount of GOTY history surrounding Cryer’s Harper.

Cryer’s Midget won the 2011 GOTY while her subsequent first litter, by Spring Gun, produced the 2015 winner in Cryer’s Fred.

Another Pick, a daughter of Unlawful Entry x Proud Fantasy and purchased as a four-month-old pup by Abbott and Kerry Hawker, won the 2021 GOTY by three points from Bungaloo Anne.

Both greyhounds won 12 races for the year, with minor placings determining the winner.

The first Mount Gambier GOTY was awarded in 1979-80 with the winner being the Frank Brennan trained Plain Bonny (Dusty Trail x Real Truth).

Kenzel Lad (Satan’s Shroud x Gaylee Rose) dominated the GOTY in the early days at Glenburnie.

He was successful in 1984-85, won it jointly with Reeling Away the following year and then was successful again in 1986-87.

The 2021 GOTY award, together with the Ian Badger Leading Trainer award, will be presented at a Sunday Tara Raceway meeting next month.