David Lewis
WINS by Shameless and Artificial Blue at the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club’s Category 2 race meeting last Sunday continued husband and wife team Calum and Jaz Blake’s good run with members of the December 2020 Raw Ability x Dubovka litter.
Based in the Victorian Central Goldfields town of Simson, the couple purchased Shameless as a maiden in March prior to winning with her the following month at Horsham.
In a bid to go one better, following a 2½ length second to Bourne Nicko a fortnight ago at Tara Raceway, they were keen to get back with the black bitch.
While Shameless looked well placed from box one in last Sunday’s Ary Sports Bar & Bistro Maiden/One Win Stake (512 metres) she did set herself a fair task after making a real mess of the start.
But a strong finishing burst off the back saw her run away to a 2½ length win over Tinker Vogue in a handy time of 30.11 seconds.
Come the last race and Artificial Blue, a proven performer over the 400-metre journey, was looking to open his winning account in the Klaassens Contractors Mixed Stake over 512 metres – a small, but select field all the same.
The last time the blue dog had tackled 512 metres at Tara Raceway had been early in the year when he had found Compton Robbie a bit slick.
This time though, Artificial Blue quickly found the front from box seven and then proceeded to lead all the way, eventually running out a length winner over Tapering Off in 29.74 seconds.
“We were really pleased with his effort over a bit more ground,” Calum Blake said.
“His short course form here had been good but it was getting tough for him given he had gone up considerably in grade.”
In addition, the Blakes had brought over Beauty Bubbles for Aaron Blake, their brother and brother-in-law, to contest the Carlin & Gazzard Stake (512 metres).
Also stepping up in distance after winning a maiden over 400 metres back in March, Beauty Bubbles and Hannah Rocks matched motors for much of the race before the former finished the stronger for a half-length win in 30.18 seconds.
By Kinloch Brae out of Bonnie Beauty, Beauty Bubbles is a half-sister to Adelong who won 10 races at Tara Raceway in 2022 for Aaron Blake over distances ranging from 400 metres to 732 metres.
“Aaron’s at Sandown Park today where he didn’t have much luck with Yoshi Boy, who won his maiden here earlier in the year,” Calum Blake said.
“I reckon he’ll be pretty happy with Beauty Bubbles’ effort, though.”
Meanwhile, the month started off well for Heathmere trainer Garry Marshman after Dud Cheque won a maiden heat over 450 metres at Warrnambool and then followed up with a second in the final.
All told, after two race starts the black and white daughter of Hooked On Scotch and Stellina Rose has now accumulated close to $6000 in prize money.
Then, last Sunday at Tara Raceway it was Jean Crisp who brought up Marshman’s first local winner since Moonlight Blonde on January 12.
This is one greyhound that is particularly special to Marshman: “Jean Crisp was named after my aunty who lived in Brim. I certainly don’t say this lightly, but she was a legendary person.”
Raced by Marshman’s partner, Vikki Jaensch, Jean Crisp is by Zinzan Brooke out of Shotgun Doll, a granddaughter of prolific producer Flaming Doll (Beks, $100,000 prize money; Kokoda Spirit, 2013 SA Oaks; Star Doll, Tara Raceway 400 m track record 2013).
Marshman said he had been happy enough with Jean Crisp’s recent satisfactory trial at Tara Raceway which had been required due to her length of time off the track due to seasonal and injury issues.
But according to her long-time trainer last Sunday’s all-the-way win as a $19 chance in the Williams Crane Hire Stake (400m) had been totally unexpected given Jean Crisp had not won a race since late September last year.
Involved in the sport for 40 years, Marshman still rates a greyhound called Bending Away as his best dog.
Purchased as a pup for $500, he was by Nobody’s Fool out of Walramin.
A Sandown Park and The Meadows winner, he raced between 2003-2005 on 43 occasions for 11 wins and close to $40,000 in prize money.