David Lewis
IT was back in 2016 Peter Keane and Lindsay Brookes of Koroit got together with Bev Keane, Gary Thomson and Graham Dix with the express purpose of forming a syndicate to purchase a greyhound.
That year they headed to Bendigo for the Ready2Race Sale where they paid $4500 for Sisco Sizzle, a daughter of Barcia Bale and Sisco Power.
Later she went on to race on 20 occasions for four wins at Warrnambool.
But six years later the syndicate’s involvement continues to evolve through Sisco Sizzle’s three litters – by Fernando Bale, Thirty Talks and more recently Zambora Brockie, some of which are still yet to race.
The 78-year-old Brookes said while the Many Winners Syndicate had sold some of Sisco Sizzle’s pups along the way they were still enjoying the experience – their share of the spoils currently standing at 43 winners.
Brookes was at Mount Gambier’s Tara Raceway meeting last Sunday with four of the January 2021 Zambora Brockie litter engaged in the first two races.
Typhoon Thomas impressed on debut from box one in the 305-metre Produce Store Maiden Stake when leading all the way for a 6¼ length win in a smart 17.59 seconds over Saint Remy, also trained at Koroit by Peter Byrne.
Popcorn Miss then brought up a Brookes’ double after finishing over the top of Boo Boos Better in the home straight for a length win in the Winning Post Supplies Maiden/One Win Stake (400m).
“That was my first training double,” said a delighted Brookes, whose first win as a trainer had been at Warrnambool in March 2021 with Gone Cranky, one of Sisco Sizzle’s second litter.
“Actually, my first winner as an owner had been at Glenburnie in May 1994 when Turkey Lass, trained by the late Jim Williams, defeated Richard Clayfield’s Beau Dan over 479 metres.”
Later, in yesterday’s Ary Sports Bar and Bistro Stake (512m), Keane achieved success in his own right when Crafter Road scored an outstanding win in the mixed event.
Raced by local owners Noel Miller, Peter Lamond and Gail Richards, Crafter Road led all the way from box five for a 4¾ length win over Rhonda Lily in a quick 29.58 seconds.
The win with the black dog was the first for Keane, who took over the training of the son of My Redeemer and Black Pontiac in October.
This was following Mount Gambier wins over 400 metres and 512 metres in July and August.
“I thought he was close to another win after his good second at Tara Raceway the previous week when he was slowly away but worked home well,” said Keane, who trained his first winner in 1982.
“And last Sunday, after he quickly found the front from box five I always thought he was going to be hard to run down despite the quality of the field.”
Phil Lenehan, situated 15 kilometres down the road from Koroit at Toolong, was last among the winners at Tara Raceway back in September with Lektra Arson, a daughter of Dyna Chancer and Uptown Funk – one of the few litters he has bred that does not trace back to the legendary Sydney Gem.
He was back last Sunday with Lektra Arson’s litter sister, Lektra Tinsel, who looked pretty good when winning the Bartholomew Pick 6 Stake (512m) by 7¾ lengths from Hellboy in a more than handy time of 29.76 seconds.
The win was her third in succession after two over 450 metres at Warrnambool.
According to Lenehan, though, it wasn’t all that long ago that the fawn bitch had been destined for retirement.
“To be honest, her form had really tapered off and I was ready to call it a day with her. But a second placing at Warrnambool leading up to Christmas had me hanging on for a bit longer. And she hasn’t looked back since.”
Lenehan said he was now looking to spend more time at Tara Raceway in the next month or so with some of his younger greyhounds being set for the Razza Racing maiden series and the $10,000 Summer Classic.
Moorak trainer Jason Newman won his first staying race in his short training career when Wind Burn Flash led all the way to defeat perennial placegetter Mick’s Kimmy by 1¼ lengths in the Exchange Printers Stake (732m) in a handy 43.79 seconds.
“I thought she would be improved by her first-up distance run the previous week,” Newman said.
“Looking the likely leader it was then going to be a matter of whether she could hang on.
“Thankfully she did.”
By Worm Burner out of Real Flash, Wind Burn Flash is raced by the Trevor Rhodes-managed Big Mumma’s Syndicate who moved her from WA to SA after the call had been made that she was only a short-courser.
