A number of other quality race track performances were delivered around the same time when we saw the recent wave of Group finals being decided. Tom Tee, Mila Mila, Zipping Ringo and Fortis Flyer all won recent feature races throughout the country.

Pictured: Tom Tee in full flight winning his Southland NZRS Advanced final (pic Dave Robbie)

We start off with Tom Tee’s strong 26.06s $11,470 victory in the March 27 NZRS Advanced final at Ascot Park. It turned into a match race into the first turn between the two class greyhounds in the field. Winning the break from trap one to set up the early pace was the local hero Southern Lights for Roy Hamilton.

Pushing up onto the early pace after exiting from the five trap was the Ray-Adcock-prepared Tom Tee. These two then engaged in a paw wrestle during the run into the turn. Showing up during the early rush for positions was Opawa Norris from the Robin Wales kennels, while punching forward from trap eight was Sarcasm for Gary Cleeve.

Tom Tee mastered Southern Lights when rounding the big, sweeping bend from where this strong son of Fabregas and Mini’s Fantasy slipped clear to claim his feature race win by a 1.25 length margin.

Southern Lights was as bold as ever when this son of Lochinvar Marlow and Imperative delivered his competitive second. He held a two length advantage over Opawa Norris (Knocka Norris – Opawa Paddy) who came out on top of his battle over Sarcasm (Dyna Tron – Know Which) to claim his third placing by three quarters of a length.

Tom Tee then went onto to deliver a further emphatic win at the Addington Raceway on Thursday where he produced yet another sub 30 second 520m win. He cruised through this one in a smart 29.82s. In doing so he brought up his 20th career victory. He has placed in a further 11 of his 39 races with his stake earnings now sitting at $66,702 not out!

 
It was birthday boy Graham Tapiki who undertook the handling duties for the Southland NZRS Advanced winner Tom Tee and he is joined at the podium by runner up Southern Lights with Roy Hamilton along with Opawa Norris who was brought back by Nathan Breen (pics supplied by Dave Robbie)

Mila Mila Stylishly Wins the Silver Star Trophy

The main support event to the Group 2 Palmerston North Gold Cup two days later was the $5,000 Silver Star Trophy, which is an event that acknowledges Mary McCourt as the only life member of the Palmerston North GRC.

It was the Lisa-Cole-trained Bigtime Eve who made her normal quick start from the 457m traps. Pushing forward to join her was Rapper Tilly for Heather Kite, while the Matt-Roberts-prepared Cawbourne Mezza was sliding forward from the eight trap. There was a bit of a jam-up in behind the pacemaker as the field headed towards the turn.

Mila Mila, who wearing the red racing vest, had settled in a midfield position along the rail for her conditioner Angela Turnwald. Bigtime Eve maintained her race lead around the turn with Mila Mila, who had quickly improved her position, stalking her into the straight.

Mila Mila extended nicely during the run home, asserting her authority, which led to her 26.42s feature win. Dashing home strongly along the rail was Cawbourne Mezza which carried her into second three quarters of a length ahead of a tiring, but gallant Bigtime Eve.

It was a bold effort by Mila Mila who has spent the bulk of her career contesting short course sprints since she crossed the Tasman. Her 34 career races has now yielded her 11 wins, eight minor placings and $19,011 in stake earnings.

 
Angela Turnwald with Silver Star Trophy winner Mila Mila and the podium with the runners' up and Palmerston North Club life member Mary McCourt on the far right

Ringo Helps Himself to an Easter Treat

The $6,000 Easter Cup has become a recent Easter weekend 527m feature event for the Auckland GRC during their Easter Saturday afternoon meeting at the Manukau Stadium. The 31 March race attracted an even-looking field.

The old greyhound adage: ‘box speed is gold’ proved spot on for this event as it was using that asset from the five trap that provided Zipping Ringo with his biggest career win to date. He burst away from the tricky draw to hold a narrow margin over the inside drawn Denis-Schofield-prepared Zipping Vito. Ranging up his outer going into that first turn was Opawa Timo for Wayne and Tracey Steele.

It was pretty much that order when the field streamed down the back straight although Stay Away Haydo was sighted improving his field position for his conditioner Thayne Green. It was still Zipping Ringo who was dictating the pace when they swung in for the run home. Looking to punch home underneath him long the rail was Stay Away Haydo, however he wasn’t able to peg back the pacemaker, who provided his trainers David Ray and Delwyn Hunt with their biggest training success.

Zipping Ringo completed his 527m task in 30.47s with Stay Away Haydo finishing just a half length behind. Opawa Jimbo gamely stuck to his task and he was rewarded with his third placing just a head behind.

Zipping Ringo will look to add to his 12 win and 24 placing record ($30,739) in his 90th race day outing back at Manukau on Sunday where he will again clash with the Easter Cup minor place getters.

 
David Ray with his Easter Cup winner Zipping Ringo and joining him at the Manukau podium is runner up Stay Away Haydo and third place Opawa Jimbo

Jared & Denise Clean Up at Hawera

Jared Udy and Denise Cottam have been long-time attendees at the annual Taranaki GRC two day Easter meeting at the Hawera Showgrounds. Their attendance over numerous years was richly and deservedly rewarded this time around where the Te Kauwhata based couple trained the winners of four of the five feature races contested over the weekend – they provided the third place getter in the other feature.

In no particular order their feature race winners were; Fortis Flyer - Karen Fairbrother Memorial Veterans Cup (315m), Little Moo - Paddy Mullan’s Cup (520m), Waerenga Star – Open Sprint (315m), Hey Khali – C1 400m feature, while they produced Hot Meegan to run third in the C0 400m feature. Tidy work guys!

Udy was especially pleased and proud to train his veteran girl Fortis Flyer to victory in the Karen Fairbrother Memorial Veterans Cup. “Stoked to win Karen’s race – that made our weekend; it was outstanding as our families had a fair bit of involvement with Karen. I guess we’ll keep Fortis Flyer in work for another week now as Waikato has scheduled a veteran’s race,” he chuckled.

The four Jared Udy and Denise Cottam trained Taranaki Easter feature race winners (greyhounds from left): Waerenga Star, Fortis Flyer; Little Moo and Hey Khali

By Peter Fenemor