By David Lewis
MORTLAKE greyhound trainer Peter Franklin, chasing his first win with Moonlight Kiss, was certainly leaving no stone unturned when it came to racing the well-bred daughter of Orson Allen and Mepunga Fame at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway.
“I’m a great believer in dogs having a look at a track before racing on it,” he said.
“So the plan was to trial Moonlight Kiss at a Wednesday morning local trial session as a lead-up to her first start here.
“But at the half-way mark of the trial session – and with my dog next in line to go around – a directive came through that the trials were required to cease immediately following an issue in Adelaide.
“This meant returning home without a run and that she would have to race here first-up without a look at the track, something I found a little concerning.”
But Franklin need not have worried.
Lining up from box one in last Thursday’s Swallow Drive Meats Stake (400 metres), Moonlight Kiss led all the way for a 7½ length win over Lance Keeping in a quick 22.93 seconds.
In what Franklin described as a nice pick-up, Moonlight Kiss, a virtual giveaway, found her way into his kennels in August after breeder and owner Robert Gore of Warrnambool was looking to move her on as he contemplates relocating.
“Actually, Robert had identified Mount Gambier as a good spot for her, believing she would be well suited to the finish-on lure,” Frankllin said.
“And as I race over here on a regular basis he was quite happy for me to take her on.”
Franklin said he believed the best of Moonlight Kiss might not be seen until she got out over more distance.
Meanwhile, another former Gore greyhound to win on the day was Moonlight Blonde who has been taken over by Heathmere owner-trainer Garry Marshman.
Also having her first start at Tara Raceway, the daughter of Mepunga Cruzer and Lulumon led all the way in the Commercial Hotel Stake (400m) to defeat Myola Frost by 5¼ lengths in a tidy 23.34 seconds.
