By David Lewis
IT LOOKED like the start of another day of minor placings for local owner Kevin Jones and Mumbannar trainer Monty Wilson after Santino Gold finished third behind Ask The Manager in last Sunday’s Gambier Vets Maiden Stake (512 metres) at Tara Raceway.
But 20 minutes later in the third race, the Klaassens Contractors Maiden/One Win Stake (400m), the long-time mates finally combined for their first win when Simeon Star defeated Compton Amy by three-and-three-quarter lengths in a time of 23.42 seconds.
Away quickly from box one, the fawn dog was always travelling like a winner.
“There still might be a bit more in the tank judging by the way he went down the back straight,” Wilson later remarked.
“And as far as Santino Gold – Simeon Star’s litter brother – is concerned, he’s actually been a bit slow on the uptake although he has run five minor placings from his 10 starts.”
For Jones, the win was his first since April 2017 when Galactic Dragon, trained by Barry Shepheard, had been successful at Tara Raceway.
Ironically, the dog he beat on that occasion was Podium Bound, trained by Wilson.
By Hostile out of Paula Mechelle, a winner of five races at Bendigo and Shepparton, the littermates found their way to Mumbannar back in May after Wilson had received a call from St Arnaud breeder Bill Robertson.
“Bill had been looking to give away a couple of unnamed dogs that had trialled but were not up to Victorian standard. I decided to give them a go and offered Jonesy a share in the pair which now races in the syndicate name of Alias Wilson Jones,” he said.
“And with Jonesy now helping me in the Tara Raceway slipping track I’m finding we’re able to get more galloping into our dogs with the outcome being we’re now getting better results.”
Better results indeed with Sunday’s win by Simeon Star consolidating Wilson’s fourth spot on the Mount Gambier leading trainer list with 195 points.
Sunday was also a good day for the relatively unknown sire Hostile who finished the day with a treble after littermates Hostile Savage and Hostile Raven landed a double for Portland trainer Nifty Lenehan.
Hostile, who has served 27 bitches, suffered a career-ending injury after qualifying for the 2015 Group 1 Golden Easter Egg final at Wentworth Park.
By Collision out of Restless Style, he won 13 races from 36 starts and $125,000 in stakemoney.
The heavily-backed Hostile Savage, a 600 metres winner earlier this month, led all the way in the Greg Martlew Autos Stake.
Chasing his first win over 512 metres at Tara Raceway, he ran out a two-and-a-quarter lengths winner over Ton Eighty in 30.29 seconds.
And Hostile Raven was also after her first 512 metres win at the track.
Chasing Compton Ruby until off the back, she took up the running and went away for a three lengths win over the early leader in the Exchange Printers Stake in a best of day time of 29.91 seconds.
It was a satisfying win for Lenehan who had always maintained Hostile Raven could run a bit.
“Yes, she has always shown potential but seasonal issues and a few injuries have certainly curtailed her career somewhat.
“I didn’t mind her run earlier this month at Tara Raceway when she ran third to Hostile Savage over 600 metres. As a result I’m now looking at a 650 metres 0-4 wins at Warrnambool early next month with her.”
The littermates, which have been owned since pups by Jim Collins, are out of five-race Gawler winner Sweet Savage, a member of the highly successful Cape Hawke x Rustic Reeta litter.
Collins, formerly of Mount Gambier, currently resides interstate but according to Lenehan still takes a keen interest in Hostile Savage and Hostile Raven.
“I received a text from Jim at 2am on Monday morning. A man of few words, his message read: ‘The wins made my whole day, week and month’.”
Last Sunday was another successful day for the Nicole Stanley-Lenehan training team, the former also landing a double with Ask The Manager and Picogram.
Slowly away from box two in the Gambier Vets Maiden Stake (512m), Ask The Manager gained a nice rails spot on the first turn before taking up the running and going on to a three-and-a-half lengths win over
Paradise Five in 30.44 seconds.
By Dyna Double One, Ask The Manager is owned by Lenehan who also raced her dam, Herbilly, a winner of six races.
With yet another treble at Tara Raceway this year – Uncle Bob, Midnight Daisy and Aston Peso – training honours went the way of David Peckham of Allendale East.
Interest in the 2021 Ian Badger Trainer of the Year continues to intensify with Compton trainer Tracie Price currently leading the way with 509 points from Peckham on 476.
