CASHEN MAUREEN, who took a real liking to Belle Vue when she won The ECC Timber Oaks there last month, is making the Manchester circuit her new home writes John Forbes.

The bitch was sold by owner Paul Clark, who cited “personal reasons,” to a syndicate from June McCombe’s kennel this week and departed Mark Wallis’s Imperial Kennels on Wednesday bound for the North West in a surprise move that delighted her new handler.

She says: “One of my owners found out that she was for sale and he formed a syndicate to buy her, although the details have still to be finalised.

“Obviously I am delighted to have such a top class greyhound join the kennel and I am just going to give her a little bit of time to settle in before I start to look at any programme for her. It is early days for us with her.”

“Wallis said: “I am sorry to lose her as she ran well for us, but I do wish the new owners and June McCombe all the very best with the bitch.”

Cashen Maureen started her career in the North with Jimmy Fenwick at Newcastle before moving on for a successful spell with Ted Soppitt and when The Oaks came along she was switched again, this time to Wallis.

The McCombe kennel has also been boosted with the arrival of Metro Jack, a semi-finalist in last year’s Derby and winner of the recent Towcester v. Ireland Invitation.

“He is another very good dog,” added June, “and I also have Bit Ma View. I am still unhappy about what happened with her in the Oaks, but she should add to what I think is going to a good team for us this year.”