David Lewis
A DECISION by local owners Tracie and Karen Price to give some of their greyhounds a change of environment is paying dividends for the Compton-based couple and for the Dennington-based Pat Bouchier and his wife Patricia.
It was back at the beginning of the year Tracie Price – Mount Gambier’s leading trainer – decided to switch a few of his greyhounds around in the hope they may respond to different training methods, surroundings and tracks.
In Pat Bouchier he had come up with a long-time trainer whose involvement with local greyhound racing went back to the Glenburnie days and a winning dog called Cophan Rebel.
Bouchier rates their best dog in 50 years of training as Victorian city-winning stayer Beks, a son of Bekim Bale and Flaming Doll, who raced on 81 occasions between 2014 and 2016 for 10 wins, 33 placings and more than $100,000 in prize money.
Wins followed later at Tara Raceway for the Bouchiers with Bisenti and Talis Tails before joining forces with Price and achieving success early in the year with Compton Chloe.
Compton Redeemer, a son of My Redeemer and Headline, had been out of the winner’s list for a couple of months when Bouchier recently took him over.
But the white and black dog never looked in any danger of defeat when leading all the way over 512 metres at a recent Sunday meeting to defeat Tapering Off by 2¼ lengths in a personal best time of 29.68 seconds.
“We’re certainly enjoying our association with Compton greyhounds,” Bouchier said after the win.
“To be honest, when it comes to training I don’t think we do too much differently but sometimes a change of surroundings can work wonders.”
As far as Price was concerned it was a case of the Bouchiers having kennel space and being keen to continue their involvement in the sport on a small scale.
“We’re more than happy to work in with them, not only because they’re lovely people but also because of their long involvement in greyhound racing,” he said.
