By David Lewis
COLERAINE owner-trainer Bob Wombwell has been involved with greyhounds for 45 years and still recalls his first winner at Mount Gambier.
“By Dynamic Dean out of Silver Tarmel, the name of the greyhound was Dynamic Tarmel who won a maiden stake over 289 metres out at the Glenburnie racecourse on Saturday, November 8, 1980,” he said.
Actually, Wombwell had been in pretty good company that day.
Eric Lewis, who is remembered every July with a memorial race at Tara Raceway, landed a 476-metre treble with Kori Kadoo, Kori Lorraine and Kori Appeal.
Bill Ward and Ian Badger, who would later be awarded life membership of the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club, were successful with Jenoli Jet (667m) and Gaymore Star (476m).
Wombwell has made frequent trips ever since to Mount Gambier to race his dogs.
But until last Sunday a feature race win at either Glenburnie or the current Lake Terrace East complex had eluded him.
Eskimo Moana, a striking looking white and black 30 kilogram daughter of Sennachie and Serene Rose, at three years of age went into the Sims Family Memorial as the oldest runner and the most experienced with five third placings from 11 starts.
Jumping a solid second favourite at $3.80, she took full advantage of box one and was always going to be hard to beat after taking the lead going out of the first turn.
In the run home Eskimo Moana finished solidly when defeating litter sisters Lektra Lyanna and Lektra Julie – the daughters of Fernando Bale and Lektra Perry trained at Toolong by Sharon Bradley.
Speaking after the race, Wombwell said he had set his dog to win the memorial.
“Today was the first time that she had run over 512 metres,”. He said.
“In fact, she hadn’t even trialled over the distance, but I always knew she had a good little motor.
“It goes without saying that I was really pleased to win the memorial.
“Col, Val and Ian were lovely people and I remember Col as a man who was always willing to help you out.
“It was really nice to see the family once again supporting today’s event.”
Wombwell purchased the winner’s dam, Serene Rose – a daughter of Barcia Bale and Rose Of Tuscany – as a pup from Tamworth breeder Ray Aslin.
“She raced on only 19 occasions for two wins – a hock injury resulting in an early retirement from the track,” he said.
“But I had always been keen to breed with her.”
Eskimo Moana’s win last Sunday saw her become the seventh winner from a litter that boasts a couple of more-than-handy chasers in Eskimo Roger and Eskimo Larry.
Collectively that pair has won 20 races and $70,000 in prize money for Buln Buln East trainer Steve White and Wombwell.
He said he was now looking at David Geall’s Koblenz as the sire of choice for a second litter for Serene Rose.
By Fernando Bale out of Up Hill Jill, he won 26 races and prize money of $792,000.
Meanwhile, local front-running sprinter Gypsy Chick gave plenty of cheek over at Warrnambool last Thursday night for Mount Gambier owner Shane Flink and Moorak trainer Jason Newman.
In the end, after displaying plenty of early dash, she finished a four-length third behind Portland trainer Nifty Lenehan’s My Boy Josh in a handy 22.28 seconds.
But several days later at Mount Gambier’s Sunday meeting Gypsy Chick turned the tables on another Lenehan-trained greyhound when holding out De La Cruz for a head win in the Rocks Tavern Stake (400m) in 23.06 seconds.
Now a 10-race winner, Gypsy Chick is by Bernardo out of Spirited Bingle who won 15 races for Portland-based Robert Halliday.
He later bred two litters with her.
Flink purchased Gypsy Chick as a pup from Halliday, who then reared her prior to Steve Elsum undertaking the breaking-in.
“As soon as I saw the litter I knew which one I wanted – a little black bitch,” Flink said.
“And that’s one decision I’ve never regretted.”
