Conductor Rail Woes Continue At Devonport Greyhounds
The NWGRC has been forced to cancel the twilight race meeting scheduled for the Devonport Raceway on Tuesday, due to a recurring conductor rail problem.
The conductor rail was replaced in May this year at a cost of more than $100,000 when race meetings were transferred to either the Tote Racing Centre or Tattersalls Park for a month.
Several problems have been encountered since and at last week's meeting, racing was delayed for 45 minutes when temporary repairs were carried out.
NWGRC officials carried out an inspection the following day and it was revealed that sections of the conductor rail had buckled due to heat stress.
This resulted in the power flow to the lure being interrupted when it rode over the bumps that had been created.
NWGRC president Gary Sutton said that the failure couldn't have come at a worse time.
“This will cost the club a lot of money,” he declared.
“This twilight meeting was going to be huge – it was a public holiday, our first ever twilight meeting and we had quite a few bookings for the restaurant which will have to be cancelled.”
Nominations for next week's race meeting close tomorrow (Wednesday), with the possibility that another meeting may be lost.
Meanwhile Brighton trainer Susan Gittus dominated proceedings at the LGRC meeting conducted at the Tote Racing Centre on Monday night, winning three races on a ten event card.
Feraro Dreams (Where's Pedro – Feraro Jet) set the kennel ball rolling by winning the Kingsley Jarman Fencing Juvenile (278 metres) as a heavily supported $1.60 commodity.
The youngster recorded the time of 16.30 in defeating Madison Beach and Bubble Gump, his initial victory in five trips to the sports.
Feraro Dreams litter brother Feraro Karma recorded his second win in six attempts by taking out the following event on the programme, the Launceston Veterinary Hospital Juvenile (278 metres).
The chaser paid the dividend of $6 in defeating Shirleys Joy and Volatile Flame in a slightly slower 16.47.
Mythical Flyer (Flying Penske – Magic Best) then completed the Gittus kennel hat-trick of wins by winning the Boags Draught Stake Grade 4/5 (600 metres) in impressive fashion.
The chaser defeated Miss Astro and Awesome Pedro, paying a dividend of $11.60 and running the journey in the time of 35.52.
Rowela trainer Terry Penny's recent run of success also continued at the meeting when the smart bitch Miss Roman Nose (Collide – Ricky's Angel) was successful in the Duke Of Wellington Invitation (515 metres).
The bitch recorded her 15th win by defeating National Vision and Gun Burner in the time of 30.13, as a well supported $1.60 chance.