David Lewis
FOR Adelaide-based “backyard” owner-trainer Richard Stasiak – racing at Tara Raceway for the first time – it was a case of litter brothers Elegant Bix and Elegant Beamer winning both of last Sunday’s Mount Gambier Summer Classic heats over 512 metres.
But Stasiak’s story actually goes back to those halcyon days of South Australian greyhound racing – the 1970s, when it seemed there had been a greyhound or two being trained out of almost every other suburban backyard.
He was one of those trainers.
It did not take him all that long to come up with a dog named Lignite, a black and white son of Fawn Roamer and Mazza Girl that had been whelped in September 1975.
“I still have fond memories of Lignite,” Stasiak recalled.
“He won eight races in succession over the distance at Angle Park.
“He also won at Sandown Park and represented SA in the 1978 Fairchild National Distance Championship in Hobart.”
“By the early 1980s and with a young family, he dropped out of the sport.
“In fact, he took a 20-year break, returning only by pure chance.
“For the first time in ages I went to the dogs one night with my son who later got me thinking when he suggested that maybe I should become involved again with the greyhounds.
“And since then there’s been winners along the way including a Gawler Golden Maiden, Angle Park wins with General Anders and a Murray Bridge Straight Track Cup with Lavish Pedro in track record time.”
But it appears as though the future now lies in the offspring of Angle Park winner Fantastic Hope, a daughter of Fabregas and Light Fantastic.
“Her first litter of five, which includes the Summer Classic heat winners, is by Fernando Bale with the pups all having won races,” said Stasiak, who also bred the litter.
“I kept four and sold one to Ray Fewings.
“Fewings’ black dog, who races as Not For Profit, has won 10 races from 12 starts and is currently being trained in Victoria by Steve White.”
Fantastic Hope’s second litter, by Aston Dee Bee, produced two black bitches in February 2022 and soon will be joining Stasiak who concedes that these days it is much easier to train from a suburban backyard.
“I’m only 10 minutes from the straight track training facility at Angle Park and 20 minutes from Virginia’s slipping track,” he said.
“So I’m now able to get plenty of galloping into my dogs without having to travel very far.”
But one major problem he does see is a lack of suitable rearing establishments in South Australia.
“It’s so important that young greyhounds are reared properly,” he said.
“Victoria addressed the problem by establishing Toongabbie Lodge which is pretty elaborate. Maybe we need to do something similar but on a smaller scale.”
But back to last Sunday’s Tara Raceway meeting.
In heat one of the Carlin & Gazzard MG sponsored classic, Elegant Bix railed through on the $1.18 chance Blue Sky Boy into the back straight before going away to a 2¼ length win in a best of day 29.82 seconds.
In the second heat, Mister Banjo showed plenty of early pace while Elegant Beamer, after an ordinary start from box four, gave chase down the back before finishing strongly for a narrow win in 29.90 seconds.
“Now, I need to draw inside in the final,” said a well-satisfied Stasiak who looked to have reaped the rewards of a long trip down and back the previous Saturday to give his dogs a look at the track.
Tracie Price, yet to win a Summer Classic, looks to hold a strong hand in Sunday’s $10,000 final with Blue Sky Boy, Mister Banjo and Honey Rocks.
Robert Halliday (Compton Robbie) will be chasing his second Summer Classic after Hutch was successful in 2017. And Dean Fennell (Saint Madix) trained Banjo Bad Boy, the 2019 winner.
Other Summer Classic winners have been Cryer’s Ricky 2015 (Tom Cryer), Menzel Boys 2016 (Lisa Rasmusen), Galactic Panther 2018 (Steve Bartholomew), Sweet On Me 2020 (David Peckham), Justice For All 2021 (Tim Richards) and He’s All Purpose 2022 (Tim Richards).
