Mayne Has Star Cam Flying
Gagebrook trainer Ken Mayne is enjoying a super run of success with the Queensland bred chaser Star Cam (Bombastic Shiraz – Rumble Duchess), which won it's fourth race in succession at Tuesday's NWGRC meeting, by taking out the Calci – D Grade 4 (452 metres) in great fashion.
Making full use of the red box, he flew the lids and occupied the premier position throughout, eventually holding out the fast finisher Stylish Abbey (High Earner – Stylish Moon), to score narrowly in the time of 26.00, as a well supported $1.80 favourite.
Star Cam has now won six of 11 lifetime outings since debuting at the HGRC meeting conducted at Tattersalls Park in Hobart on July 11.
The chaser is a litter mate of the winners Fanciful Moments, Johan Kahn, Major Kahn and Toy Kahn and is raced by interstate connections, the Good Girth Syndicate.
“Star Cam was not even named when I was asked to prepare him, apparently he was proving to be a handful and did not look like making the grade,” the trainer explained this week.
“I straightened him out and when I suggested that the owners consider giving him a name they were pleasantly surprised to say the least,” he added.
Mayne learnt the ropes from veteran Magra mentor Leon Brazendale and has only had a public licence in his own right for two years.
“I restrict myself to just a couple of greyhounds, meaning that I can spend plenty of time with them, which is a huge advantage,” he explained.
He has never before won four races in succession with one of his team and as a result is considering setting the bar a tad higher for his kennel star.
“I am considering a trip to The Meadows in November, but if that does not eventuate it would be nice to have a runner in the Hobart Thousand,” he explained.
Mayne also has high hopes for a litter of pups by the former local champ Big Moose from the Pure Octane bitch Shanghai Cruise, which also won races from his establishment.
Meanwhile four heats of the rich Ministers Gift Series were conducted at Monday night's LGRC meeting, with victory going the way of the smart chasers Black Bessie (Where's Pedro – Smart And Sassy), Palooka ( Dyna Lachlan – It's A She), Hellyeah Bolt ( Dyna Lachlan – Flash Diamond) and Pipstar ( High Earner – Stylish Moon).
The Paul Hili prepared Hellyeah Bolt was the fastest heat winner, recording a time of 29.55 for the 515 metres trip, meaning that, barring accidents, he will be very much in demand when the big money is on offer.
Further heats of the Ministers Gift will be conducted at Tuesdays NWGRC meeting at the Devonport Raceway, with the $10,000 to the winner final scheduled for the HGRC meeting at Tattersalls Park in Hobart on October 24.
Another trainer to experience success at Tuesday's NWGRC meeting was Bridport based Graeme Taylor, who took out the Virbac Devonport Tasbred Maiden (452 metres) with the smart chaser Bit Hot Rusty ( Bit Chili – Blitzing Chloe).
In a keenly contested affair, the chaser, a last start winner, prevailed in the time of 26.01 while paying the handsome dividend of $12.
Taylor has enjoyed good recent success with the litter from Pure Octane bitch Blitzing Chloe, winning races also with Bit Hot Henry and Bit Hot Finchy.
The Bruny Island based Island Syndicate, headed by bookmaker Barry Heawood, also found the Devonport Raceway to be a happy hunting ground by winning races with well related debut runners Murrayfield and Daniel's Bay.
The Talks Cheap – Wooreddy litter mates looked very impressive in winning their respective events, carrying on the good work started by another of the litter in Alonnah, which surprised at big odds from the Brendan Pursell kennel the previous night in Launceston.