David Lewis
LAST Sunday there were two heats of the 512-metre John Reid Memorial Maiden run.
The long-running memorial was first conducted in 2005 with local trainer David Peckham successful in 2006 with Bourne Destiny.
He certainly looks a fair chance of bringing up his second win on Sunday after the effort of Lochinvar Cahill in the second heat – a 13-length win over Bungaloo Josh in 30.13 seconds at what was only his second race start.
Kevin “KD” Douglas, who handled last Sunday’s SE Clubs Challenge meeting presentations, races Lochinvar Cahill in partnership with Peckham.
In between races Douglas related how the white and black son of Fernando Bale x Tears Some found his way down to Bourne Kennels.
“We actually made first-time contact with Kevin Gordon, a Greyhound Racing NSW board member and heavily involved in the racing of greyhounds, to see if he had anything for sale that would suit our requirements,” he said.
“Preferably, we were also looking for something that could run out a bit of ground, so Kevin suggested that Lochinvar Cahill, who had raced only once for a second over 520 metres at Dapto in April, could be worth considering.”
Douglas said the dog had been purchased at 21 months of age and since arriving down here had been trialling well.
“As he showed today, he’ll be more than competitive locally but I reckon he still needs to find a couple of lengths before going elsewhere,” he said.
Speaking later, Peckham said Lochinvar Cahill was also an ideal age (whelped in July 2020) for next month’s Carlin and Gazzard MG Winter Classic over 512 metres.
Bungaloo Josh’s second to Lochinvar Cahill has resulted in Kongorong trainer John Little providing two finalists after litter sister Bungaloo Brooke led all the way in the first heat to defeat Lektra Scene by 10 lengths in 30.51 seconds.
Meanwhile, Two Wells trainer Clint Trengove’s Compulsory Hero made the Tantanoola Tigers’ day when winning the 512-metre South East Clubs Challenge.
Gaining a start as a reserve, the brindle dog carried the hopes of the Tigers and somehow they managed to get him over the line with 1¾ lengths to spare at the expense of Flatty Hunter.
Raced by Clayton Langdon, a Broken Hill-based cousin of Trengove’s wife Shelley, Compulsory Hero was described by his trainer as a hit-or-miss greyhound.
He was certainly a hit with the Tigers who secured him in the random draw.
Trengove is now set for a few busy weeks.
“It’s back to Two Wells tonight then off to Bathurst tomorrow with 18 pups to be broken-in,” he said on the day.
“Next weekend we expect to be racing in Broken Hill and then back here the following week.”
