PHIL Lenehan’s Lektra Stomp, the fastest greyhound to go around Tara Raceway this year, just got faster.
Lining up from box two in the first of five Mount Gambier Cup heats at Tara Raceway on Sunday afternoon as an even money favourite, Lektra Stomp led all the way, eventually running out a seven-length winner over Nicole Stanley’s $61 chance Verev.
With 512-metre wins at his past three Tara Raceway starts in 29.57 seconds, 29.54 seconds and 29.76 seconds, the son of Walk Hard and Lektra Angie had come close to Mojito Mayhem’s 29.52 seconds track record run on June 18, 2017.
And at Tara Raceway’s well-attended cup heats day, Lektra Stomp not only raced into Sunday’s $22,000 Group Listed final, but also into the record books with an outstanding gallop of 29.45 seconds – Lenehan’s first track record as a trainer.
Not surprisingly, Print The Money, locally bred and owned by the Don Gordon-managed Southern Bar Boys Syndicate, attracted a crowd to see the 14-race winner finally make his home town debut – and the son of Red Lesta x Rellim Lilly did not let them down.
Trained at Avalon by Michelle Mallia-Magri, Print The Money was only fairly away from box one but after rounding the first turn in third spot quickly rounded up the leaders and powered away to a six length win over Swift Limes in 29.68 seconds, the second-best of the heat times.
After the running of the final race on Sunday, Greyhound Racing SA steward Josh Evans and Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club secretary/treasurer Barry Shepheard conducted the all-important Mount Gambier Cup final box draw, which is as follows:
1 Xtreme Caution (Brian Weis – Portland), 2 Print The Money (Michelle Mallia-Magri – Avalon), 3 Paraphernalia (Jeff Guy – Horsham), 4 Verev (Nicole Stanley – Portland), 5 Lektra Stomp (Phil Lenehan – Toolong), 6 Blazing Moment (Tracie Price – Compton), 7 Megellas Fairy (Lyn Smith – Nambrok), 8 Galactic Panther (Steve Bartholomew – Worrolong). Res. 9 Swift Limes (Tracie Price), 10 Xtreme Notice (Brian Weis).
Calcutta prices for the finalists were Xtreme Caution ($130), Print The Money ($420), Paraphernalia ($130), Verev ($24), Lektra Stomp ($400), Blazing Moment ($180), Megellas Fairy ($285), Galactic Panther ($95).
And following a record pool for the Calcutta, conducted at Tara Raceway on Saturday night, purchasers of the eventual placegetters will receive payouts of $4180, $1194 and $594.
Board kennel springs into action
IT did not take Murray Bridge owner-trainer Greg Board long to spring into action at Tara Raceway on Friday when the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s cup carnival kicked off.
Racing at the track for the first time, Board looked to hold a strong hand in the two 512-metre Produce Store Feature Maiden heats, Spring Spinner and Spring Rebel duly running the quinella in heat one.
But it was kennelmate Spring Bridge, a 32 kilogram black dog, whelped in June 2016, who really drew attention to himself after turning in a big effort to win the second heat at his first race start.
Only fairly away from box four, Spring Bridge found trouble soon after the start and again on the first turn.
However, once finding the rails in the back straight he quickly worked through to take the lead, eventually running out an eight length winner in 30.02 seconds – marginally quicker than Spring Spinner.
By My Bro Fabio, Spring Bridge is out of Tina Lee, a bitch by Brett Lee x Daydream that was offered to Board after having won only four races.
“She was certainly nothing special,” he said.
“She won a couple of races in Victoria and finished up winning another couple in Rockhampton before being retired.
“But I liked her breeding, Daydream being a line that throws fast dogs, her progeny having won more than 200 races.
“And Tina Lee’s litter brother Hay Fergus, who is now at stud, smashed Barcia Bale’s Bulli track record at his first public appearance.”
He said he believed Spring Bridge to be an exciting prospect and had the potential to “develop into anything”.
Board, who has been based at Murray Bridge for the past nine months after relocating from NSW, describes himself as hands-on – breeding, rearing, breaking-in and training his own greyhounds.
Spring Spinner, who led all the way to win Friday’s first heat of the Produce Store Feature Maiden, is by Board’s former top chaser and now successful sire Spring Gun, out of Compa Allen, a bitch he purchased from leading NSW breeder Paul Wheeler for the purpose of breeding.
Spring Rebel, who chased Spring Spinner for the majority of the journey, eventually running a 3¾ length second in 30.03 seconds, is by Kinloch Brae x Country Rebel.
“This is Country Rebel’s third litter with her first to Spring Gun producing a couple of handy types,” Board said.
“I think Spring Rebel will develop into a nice dog later on.”
And he will now be hoping for further feature maiden success this Sunday with his trio after Spring Wine (a litter sister to Spring Rebel) was successful in the Gawler Golden Maiden over 531 metres at the end of last year.
