AN explosive performance from Dynamite Danger in the 400-metres Metal Worx Maiden Stake at Tara Raceway on Sunday had Compton greyhound trainer Tracie Price quickly singing the praises of the black youngster from a Peter Rocket Summer Classic point of view.
By Dyna Double One out of eight-race winner Mepunga Jayelle, the black dog led all the way to defeat kennelmate Schnelle by four-and-three-quarter lengths in a time of 23.18 seconds which would ultimately turn out to be the best of the day.
With next month’s 512 metre Summer Classic being for all dogs whelped on or after January 1, 2016, Dynamite Danger, who has now raced on four occasions, is a good fit as he was whelped in March 2016.
But things have not been all plain sailing for Dynamite Danger, owned at Bushfield by Adam Richardson, after being cited by stewards at Warrnambool last month for failing to chase when looking to have a 390 metre maiden event stitched up.
It was then Richardson contacted Price to see if he would be interested in having a crack with the dog behind the finish-on-lure at Tara Raceway.
“I trialled him over 400 metres and he went pretty well,” Price said.
“Then he clocked a quick 23.20 seconds in a mandatory satisfactory trial – an impressive effort and one that had me suggest to Adam that Dynamite Danger stay at least until the Summer Classic.
“His win today in best of the day time, along with the manner in which he went to the line, suggested to me the 512 metres should not worry him too much.”
Schnelle, a son of Fabregas and Price’s former top bitch Who’s Doing What, ran a good second placing at only his second start.
A January 2016 whelping, the black dog is also likely to be among a sizeable team of Summer Classic nominations for Price.
He has won two Winter Classics, with Stylish Moment and Cee Me Burst in 2014 and 2015, but has yet to figure in the Summer Classic – previous winners being Cryer’s Ricky, Menzel Boys and Hutch.
Heats of the non-penalty Peter Rocket Summer Classic will be run on Sunday, February 11 with the $3000 final a week later.
The winner of the classic will also receive a service to Peter Rocket (Where’s Pedro x Belron Blue), donated by Lisa and Keith Hellmuth of Pearcedale.
Peter Rocket won 22 races, raced in 15 Group race finals and won on nine different tracks.
He is now the sire of the boom Rockoon as well as Peter Galo and Nike Viper.
As it turned out, Dynamite Danger was the first leg of a treble for Price, who later in the day was also successful with Return The Love and Banjo Queen.
Return The Love, who formerly raced in WA where she had won eight races, arrived in Mount Gambier late last year after having been off the scene for five months due to a toe injury.
By Barcia Bale out of Desert Spark, a winner of 10 races and more than $47,000 in stakemoney, Return The Love’s litter brother Desert
Rampage has collected $70,000 from 25 wins, all of them at Mandurah in WA – in fact all of his 43 starts have been at that track.
Return The Love opened her Tara Raceway winning account over 400 metres at the end of last year, but her 30.06 seconds all the way win over Xtreme Gift from box eight in Sunday’s 512-metre Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake had Price declaring that he would probably now press on with the Mount Gambier Cup in mind.
Banjo Queen opened her winning account for this year with a strong win over kennelmates Hopalong and Baz’s Moment in 400-metre The Border Watch Mixed Stake in 23.24 seconds.
Raced by Tara Raceway regulars John and Kerry Hawker, Banjo Queen quickly put herself into the race, taking over the running from Ecclefechan off the back before going on to a three-quarters of a length win.
The daughter of Banjo Boy x Black Traminer has now won eight races since the Hawkers took over ownership in late July last year, John
Hawker not holding back when it came to lavishing praise on their trainer.
“We have had a terrific introduction to greyhound racing with Tracie putting us on the right track and allowing us to continue to share in the thrill of winning races,” he said.
“And believe me, there was no bigger thrill than Banjo Queen’s win today.”
Punters in touch
PUNTERS at Tara Raceway greyhound meetings now have access to all the information they require following the installation of a touch screen in the TAB area of the clubrooms.
Installed by Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club committee man Tim Holmes, the touch screen was recently acquired from Jens Hotel after it had undergone an extensive re-vamp.
Punters will now be able to access all TAB fields and form for the day, along with scratchings, racing and sporting results and current prices.
The touch screen was in operation for the first time at Sunday’s meeting, with punters taking full advantage of the information terminal.
