COONAMBLE’S October long weekend carnival may be the last, but Orange trainers Colin Miller and David Pringle have little to complain about after winning three of the feature races.
For Miller it was a huge pay day on Monday when Aj Jay Zarr took out the $20,000 to the winner Segenhoe Maiden Final over 301 metres.
Pringle was hardly disappointed, claiming $4000 cheques after Lucky I’m Black (Global HP Final, 530m) and Barney’s Magic (21 Century Meats Cup, 400m) won their finals, and Silent Battle picked up another $1500 for winning the Vetsence 10,000 Maiden Consolation.
The sad aspect of this week’s 40th annual three-day carnival is that it could be the Coonamble club’s last following the recent death of long time secretary Tony Finlay and the impending retirement of president Roley Green.
Both gentlemen have steered the club for many, many years. And to complicate the issue even further legendary race caller Paul Ambrosoli - a long time friend of Tony and the people at Coonamble - won’t continue in his role as race caller on finals day.
When the carnival was over Colin and Katrina Miller from Mullion Creek near Orange were smiling.
Aj Jay Zarr, a bitch they bred from their brood bitch Fast Liner, was set for the Coonamble race. She won her heat (one of 12) by 8-3/4 lengths in 17.42s to qualify for the the final.
Then in the final she improved even further and ran 17.38s, started at $5, and beat Break Loose by a length with Rubble Trouble 2-1/2 lengths back third.
Aj Jay Zarr was named by Colin and Katrina’s daughter Ashleigh Jayne.
“That win was a good as I’ve had, she ran really well,” the trainer said.
“Her mother (Fast Liner) won only one race in a short career before she put a steel post through her shoulder and that’s was the end of her racing.
“But this bitch has come up well and her two races on the weekend were as good as you could ask for. And to show improvement each run was exceptional.”
Running his own mower and chainsaw business in Orange is the main priority for Miller and with Orange National Field Days coming up, greyhound racing will be put onto the back burner.
“Where we’ll go with Aj Jay Zarr after this is undecided,” he said.
“Breeding greyhounds is part of our business then we usually get the dogs ready then sell them.”