Evanston South trainer Pete Smith, on one of his occasional visits to Tara Raceway, had been chasing his first win in Mount Gambier since Premier Peruzzi back in September 2019 when Maybe Sirius lined up in last Thursday’s Gordon Refrigeration 1-4 Wins Stake (400 metres).
And while Maybe Sirius, a maiden winner the previous week up the Murray Bridge straight, failed to figure in the placings, Moon Salad, trained by Smith’s partner Tina Cattermole, opened her winning account in the Produce Store Maiden Stake (400 m).
Having her second start after finishing second on debut to Maybe Sirius, the November 2019 whelping led all the way from box five when defeating Limousine by a neck in 23.62 seconds.
The win was Cattermole’s first at the track since December 2019 when Sassy Bubble had been successful.
Bred by Cattermole, last Thursday’s winner is by Cosmic Rumble out of Harbison Miss, a winner of 15 races at Angle Park and Gawler when trained by the breeder. Amy Cosh and Cattermole now race Moon Salad in the syndicate name of Two Broke Girls, the former having reared the litter at Lewiston.
Smith, who stood in for his partner, said there was currently a bit happening at their property.
“Harbison Miss whelped a second litter in January, this time to Barcia Bale, so all told we have a dozen or so pups of varying ages. Plus we’re training a team of five racing dogs.”
Meanwhile, Major Tom Fury, owned and trained at Langhorne Creek by Tony Hinrichsen, kicked off racing in dominant style with an all the way 4½ lengths win in 23.58 seconds in the Trackside Meats Maiden Stake (400 m).
Bred by his owner-trainer, the brindle dog is by Worm Burner out of Spring Leesa, her last win being at Tara Raceway in November 2019. That particular win wrapped up a racing career spanning three years and 177 starts for 21 wins and 60 minor placings.
Major Tom Fury’s win was the second for the month at Tara Raceway for the litter – and Hinrichsen – after Memphis Fury had been successful over 400 metres a fortnight ago.
But Spring Leesa’s number of starts pales into insignificance compared to that of Hinrichsen’s rising 5½-years-old Filthy Phantom who went around for the 244th time in last Thursday’s Williams Crane Hire 5+ Wins Stake (400 m).
Bred and trained by Hinrichsen, the veteran chaser is by Lochinvar Marlow out of Ruby Swift who raced on 100 occasions.
Looking for his first win at Tara Raceway since November 2019, Filthy Phantom chased Jervois Boy throughout before finishing strongly to go down by only a half length in 23.20 seconds.
All told, his race record now stands at 23 wins (Strathalbyn, Gawler, Port Augusta, Mount Gambier, Angle Park and Murray Bridge), 37 seconds and 47 thirds.
“As his record suggests, Filthy Phantom, who has now eclipsed Green Lizard’s SA record of 223 starts, is a greyhound that would run through a brick wall such is his love of racing,” Hinrichsen said.
Track record declared for 305 metres distance
Aston Olenna’s time of 17.49 seconds, recorded when winning the Razza Racing Feature Maiden final (305 metres) on Sunday, January 31, has been confirmed as the short-course distance’s first official track record.
Greyhound Racing SA’s announcement this week came after 35 races had been run over 305 metres since the distance’s introduction on Sunday, January 24.
Until now, only 305 metres youngest-up maiden and veteran races have been run at Sunday meetings. However, the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club also has juvenile events programmed for greyhounds two years and younger.
By Aston Bolero x Aston Selena, Aston Olenna is owned by Ray Borda and trained at Allendale East by David Peckham. Since his heat and final runs at Tara Raceway in January, the fawn dog has raced only once at the local track.
His racing has been virtually confined to Murray Bridge where he has won nine races, including the SA Straight Track Cup (350 m) and the Murray Bridge Straight Track Championship (350 m).
Aston Olenna’s track record ratification now sees Peckham listed as the trainer of three Tara Raceway record holders – Pirate’s Curse running 34.79 seconds over 600 metres on April 21, 2019 and Shima Breeze 16.00 seconds on December 20, 2020 for the now defunct 277 metres distance.
Almighty Stripe (Tim Richards) has held the 400 metres record at 22.55 seconds since April 4, 2021, Tracie Price’s Rockoon 512 metres time of 29.28 seconds has stood since July 1, 2018 while Robert Britton’s Nellie Noodles ran a record-breaking 43.45 seconds over 732 metres on March 27, 2011.
