TUSCAN Flex, a nicely-bred son of the Irish-bred sire Farley Blitz and Gail Allen, won his second 600 metre race at Tara Raceway this month when leading all the way in the South Eastern Hotel Mixed Stake last Sunday for brothers Calum and Aaron Blake, who are based in the Bendigo suburb of White Hills.
On the line the blue dog had one-and-a-half lengths to spare over Chilly Kiss, who did the chasing throughout and gave promise of better things to come for young owner Clarissa Miller and her grandmother Connie, who trains out at Allendale East.
Nine days ago Tuscan Flex defeated a couple of handy types in Homer and Emily As, with the win coming at a time-graded meeting and breaking a six-month drought for the 21-year-old Calum Blake, who purchased the dog via an online advertisement for $2000 after he had won four races at Wagga and Ballarat.
He is now trained by Aaron, 25, who said he believed the Tara Raceway finish-on-lure and the time-graded format had helped to boost the dog’s confidence.
The Blake brothers involvement at the local track goes back more than five years ago when as teenagers they raced a dog called Kiss Me Donkey.
“She created a bit of interest at the time because it took her 54 starts to win a race,” Aaron recalled.
“The win came up in mid-2012 when she defeated Our Testa Talken.
“Later that year she then won the Iron Dog at Tara Raceway, which back then was run over 400 metres and 512 metres.”
Last Sunday was one of the rare occasions that Blake is in Mount Gambier these days as he is in full-time employment as an assistant groundsman at the Bendigo track.
Another brother, Khris, was at Tara Raceway to handle Tuscan Flex in his January 12 win.
Photo finish
IT is now been more than three years since former 512 metre Tara Raceway track record holder Thanks Tubby clocked 35.56 seconds on June 20, 2014 to win the first 600 metre race run at the local track.
Middle-distance events since then have proven to be a popular addition to the racing calendar, more often than not serving up keenly-contested races and attracting some smart greyhounds to the track, not the least being former 600 metre record holder Paraphernalia, along with McIvor Verna who currently holds the record.
Last Sunday’s 600-metre Gambier Vets Mixed Stake was always going to be another keenly-contested affair, Xtreme Carnage, having his first start over the journey, giving the opposition plenty to chase as he opened up a handy break down the back straight.
Turning for the home, Goldie’s Run and Odd Boots were pulling ground off the leader, while Destini Montana, after being shuffled back mid-race, also looked ominous.
And in the home straight it was Xtreme Carnage still hanging on for dear life while Goldie’s Run and Odd Boots were finishing powerfully, as was Destini Montana once he found the rails.
On the line it was anyone’s guess as the quartet crossed virtually as one.
No one really had any idea as to the winner.
Race caller Tim Edwards was half-right when he went with Xtreme Carnage.
He probably did better than most.
The only thing certain before the winner being semaphored was this had been one of the best middle-distance races at Tara Raceway since that mid-winter meeting back in 2014.
In the end the judge could not split the Portland pair – Brian Weis’s Xtreme Carnage and Odd Boots, who took his 600 metre record at Tara Raceway to seven wins from 12 starts for Robert Halliday -while Goldie’s Run and Destini Montana were only a head or so back in third and fourth spots for Tracie Price and Kevin Finn.
By Barcia Bale x Xtreme Gretel, Xtreme Carnage wrapped up a good weekend for Weis and Wagga breeder-owner Matt Morris after the dead-heater’s litter sister Xtreme Notice won a $5000-to-the-winner grade five heat over 525 metres at The Meadows the previous night as a lead-up to the final tomorrow which carries a $12,000 winner’s cheque.
Morris also owns Xtreme Shine who, for the second week in a row, impressed with a sub-30 second 512 metre win for Portland trainer Robert Duncan in last Sunday’s Produce Store Stake.
