Trainer Angela Harrison and partner Jimmy Wright have no problem naming their best and worst days of 2019. The highlight was at Sheffield on April 6, the lowlight was last Monday, December 9.
It might be eight months ago, but Angela’s win in the Gain Feeds Trainers Championship meeting is a memory that will never leave either of them. Droopys Trapper won early in the meeting, but a double in the last two races for Droopys Verve and Droopys Expert saw them home.
Jimmy said: “It was the fourth time we had been in it, and the last time we had lost it in the final leg with Droopys Buick. It meant such a lot to us because it is hard to get into the top six in the points table because of where we are based, just 30 miles from Berwick. There are even less chances since Belle Vue stopped regular opens.”
Conversely – even by their standards, the trip to Swindon last Monday was a long one. The cargo was Oaks favourite Velvet Juliet who missed her break, showed great pace to the third bend, checked, rallied and finished third, beaten a neck for a place in the final.
Jimmy said: “We were up against it from the beginning. We, and Jimmy (Fenwick) left the kennels at 2.30am to make sure we were kenneled by 9.15am for the BAGS meeting. That can’t be right surely, for such a prestigious race? Apart from anything else, seven out of ten bitches run below form in the winter.
“I want to make it clear, I am not having a pop at Swindon. Without them being prepared to put the competition on, there wouldn’t have been an Oaks. But they deserve better and so does the sport. I think Mark Bird has done a tremendous job since taking over GBGB, but I would like him to take a close look at the Calendar.
“The only criticism I would have of Swindon would be the kennels. They are not heated and that bitch had to be kenneled up for three hours on a cold day. I don’t want it to sound like sour grapes, but surely we could have the Oaks runs at night at a different time of the year.”
To make matters worse, as Jimmy was en route for his 325 mile return trip, Angela was caught in traffic and unable to make kenneling for the National Sprint at Nottingham leaving to the withdrawal of 5-4 ante post favourite Droopys Reel.
Jimmy said: “I could see the traffic jam and realised what was going to happen. It was just pure frustration.”
But not all journeys are bad. There is one track in particular which Jimmy always enjoys visiting.
He said: “Monmore. I like everything about the place. The staff are great, the running surface has improved massively and there is even a great buzz from the crowd for the Saturday night opens.”
Although the boys dominated the Gain Trainers Championship, it was the girls who brought home the big points. Velvet Juliet and Droopys Live landed the two Cat One events, the Ted Lloyd Classic and the SIS Doncaster Leger. Droopys Reel picked up the Scurry.
Live has been a revelation throughout the year and currently leads the open race winners table with 19 victories.
Jimmy said: “That run in the Doncaster Leger was absolutely brilliant and she has been so consistent throughout. We have kept her in training to see if she can finish top open racer because it would be a great mark on her CV, but if the decision was mine, she wouldn’t race beyond the end of the year
“The plan is that she will stay with me for a litter and then be retired with as a pet with joint owner JD Maragh.”
Droopys Expert has already gone to stud with Ron Grey, but the kennel’s other big star Droopys Verve will stay in training.
Jimmy said: “He has had a problem with a damaged knuckle on a hind foot for a long time. We gave him time to recover and he did a 16.80 sprint at Newcastle but then it blew up again. In hindsight I wish we had just had it removed. But I am convinced that there is still plenty of racing in him. We also have Velvet Juliet of course. I am not saying she is the best bitch in training, but she is definitely among them.”
There are promising signs among the kennel’s next crop with Levante Beach engaged in the Alconex Puppy Derby. Droopys Reel’s litter brother Droopys Carat was beaten half a length in the Romford Puppy Cup Final. The highly rated Droopys Back Up is on the mend after picking up a sprained hock. Look out too for a recent arrival and potential top class stayer in Coolavanny Bani.
Jimmy said: “We don’t know at this stage whether any of the pups will make up into Derby dogs. We are always looking, and the money is available, but finding them is very difficult. I have a great relationship with the Dunphys and they have really looked after us with the ‘Droopys’. But we are well aware that there are a lot of people chasing the same few top dogs.”
