By David Lewis
IT has now been close to two years since Katoni made his debut at Tara Raceway over 305 metres for Glenroy trainer Richard Clayfield.
Six runs later and still chasing his first win, the son of Magic Sprite and Majestic Tale returned to his Murray Bridge owner Damien Smith nursing an injured toe.
But six months after that and after having won a couple of races up the Murray Bridge straight for Smith, Katoni found his way back to Clayfield – five wins following over the 400-metre journey in the next seven months.
“By then, being only a short-course greyhound, he looked to have reached his mark down here and it was decided to once again return him to Damien who had easy access to more tracks and distances,” Clayfield said.
Smith then won a further five races with the December 2020 black dog at Murray Bridge up the straight and Angle Park before sending him to Rochester trainer Darren Petersen who later purchased Katoni.
The widely-travelled dog has now also won at Bendigo, Geelong, Healesville, Ballarat and Traralgon prior to Petersen returning earlier this month to Mount Gambier where he was just run down by Yadillah Lad.
He was back at Tara Raceway last week with several runners for the worst to best time-graded meeting, including Katoni who was a reserve in the Cadillac Racing TG5+W Stake (400m).
As luck would have it there were three scratchings in the race and he ended up drawing the eight – a box he had won from on six occasions and been placed a further 10 times from 20 starts.
He never looked like being beaten when bringing up his 18th win.
Leading all the way, he defeated Zambora Sam by 3½ lengths in 23.13 seconds – a personal best time and also best of the day.
Earlier in the day, the Petersen-owned Back Ruby, a daughter of Barcia Bale and 14-race winner Good Girl Sandy, finally broke through for her maiden win at start number 29.
Trained by his partner Aroha Hemingway, Back Ruby led all the way from box two when defeating Dark Trace by a length in 18.11 seconds in the Todd’s Photographics Maiden Stake (305m).
Later in the day, the Clayfield-trained Rise As One, by Hooked On Scotch and a younger half-brother to Katoni, ran a personal best time of 23.62 seconds over the 400-metre journey when finishing second to the Mel Freitag trained Lady Nitrous.
Lady Nitrous, who is owned by Ben Weidenbach, also ran a personal-best time when leading all the way in 23.35 seconds in the Icon Signs Fast Forward final.
Paul Cusack, who regularly makes the five-hour Thursday trip over from Mount Cottrell, took his tally of local winners this year to 15 when Lamia Lucia and Quantum’s Dream were successful in the Gambier Vets Maiden Stake (305m) and the Commercial Hotel TG1-4W Stake (305m).
Lamia Lucia, a December 2021 white and black daughter of My Redeemer and Boquilla – who won 19 races and more than $46,000 in prizemoney – was having her first start for Cusack and owner Giuseppe Carchedi.
So far the litter is doing pretty well.
Camp Fire has won six races and more than $38,000 in prize money, Power Cut 11 and $28,000 and Secret Reef six and $16,000.
Liama Lucia created quite an impression when leading all the way from box one, eventually running out a 9½ length winner over Galactic Raven in a quick 17.59 seconds.
“I can’t believe the time,” Cusack enthused.
“She went super.
“She had trialled ok at Geelong but went into the race with absolutely no real field experience.
“I was also very happy with Quantum’s Dream who showed plenty of early pace before running out an easy winner in 17.73 seconds.”
