CLOCK FOR NIDGE: PUPPY CUP REVIEW/DRAW

Some tracks records appear vulnerable. Others are so freakish and to look unbreakable. On Friday night Roxholme Nidge became the fastest greyhound ever over Britain’s most widely used open race course and distance as he set a new Romford 400m track record in the heats of the Puppy Cup.

23.26	(+20)	ROXHOLME NIDGE	Keightley	15/9/17
23.34	(+20)	EDEN STAR	Draper	16/9/11
23.40	(+30)	DROOPYS REASON	Cahill	12/12/12
23.52	(+20)	MILLWARDS KATY	Young	2/1/15
23.56	(+20)	ARDBEG MENTOR	Tester	23/4/10
23.57	(+30)	DOWER FOR GOLD	Simmonds	15/9/17
23.57	(+10)	DROOPYS QUINCY	Cahill	3/12/13
23.58	N	KING LEE	McNair	16/4/10
23.59	(+10)	AERO NEMESIS	Wallis	1/5/15
23.59	(+20)	GLENROE GINGER	Draper	24/4/09

The Hayley Keightley trained brindle went to traps with three wins and a ‘KO’ from his first four races and started at 1-2f.

After cracking away in a 3.58 sectional, he pulled away to win by eight in 23.26 (+20). The time was eight spots inside Eden Star’s track record, recorded a day under six years earlier.

Assistant trainer Mark Keightley said: “We knew he was a bit short when we trialled him and with the weather as it is, we managed to get a couple of pieces of work into him on the gallop.

“In my head, I thought he had a ’50’ in him, but, a 23.26, how could you see that coming?

“He seems in good order this morning, I have checked him over myself, but I’ll be popping him over to Georgie Drake this week just as a precaution.

“I’m not that impressed with trap one next time out, I would rather have my dogs going from the inside to middle in a competition. But with any kind of reasonable break he should have enough early to lead at the corner.”

So how does such a small kennel keep unearthing these superstars?

Mark said: “We always use the same system and only two contacts, Eamonn Mackey and Ernie Cook. I ask them to look out for young dogs with a bit of potential in schooling, and priced at around £7,000-£8,000.

“That is exactly what we had with this lad. His trials were good, but not ‘Lambourghi’, but he clearly had potential and it has all worked out for us.”

It was also a successful meeting for Liz McNair whose littermates King Elvis (Tullymurry Act-Skate On, Oct 15) and Queen Anna won in 24.00 and 23.76 respectively.

It was British bred Elvis’ ninth consecutive open race victory.

All footage courtesy of RPGTV

Heat 1