NOTTINGHAM DIARY – BY MARK PIERREPONT

Samantha Atkinson attached to Kinsley brought a brace for a look.  Caseys Sami kept a middle course throughout in a 500m solo and stopped the clock at 30.30.  Shady Diesel, eliminated from the recent RPGTV All England Cup at the semi final stage recorded 30.01 keeping a middle to wide course on the straights and cutting the bends well.

Colin Watson‘s Owley Gunner, a regular top grade winner at Pelaw, took on Matt Dartnall’s Mister Brentford.  Dartnall runner (named in honour of longstanding Brentford FC announcer Peter Gilham) came out on top in 29.90 off a 5.09 split.  Both hounds felt their way around the first two bends in particular and will find time on their next sightings.

Matt said: “He’s a nice dog with a fair touch of early pace , he’ll improve for that look around and I’ve got him booked in again for next week.  We’ll see how he goes but he’s giving his team of owners a bit of fun having already won 7 races for them , including a couple of opens at Hove”.

Syndicate head Mark Burridge said “I’m pleased with that performance I thought it was a more than fair effort for his first look around.

“We were a little disappointed at not being accepted for the Sussex Cup at Hove recently as we felt his performances beforehand justified his inclusion.  We move on though and it’s now all eyes on the Derby”.

Lynn Cook’s talented local Plaza Lep ran from trap 3 in a 500m solo and stopped the clock in a fastest of the session 29.70.  The 2019 Eclipse finalist moved well throughout running a middle to rails course.

Peter Harnden‘s Salacres Pippy might not be known to many throughout the country just yet but she added to her impressive trial CV recording a time of 29.71 , just a spot slower than Lep.

Pippy kept a rails course throughout with Peter saying “She’s a bitch we tried to purchase pre lockdown but couldn’t quite pull the deal off.  We had another chat during the lock down period with her owner/breeder John Kennedy and managed to get a deal done.

“I like her a lot but we won’t rush her.  She stays the trip very well and her run tonight doesn’t come as a surprise. She’s a bitch who has already recorded 17.92 in a 305m sprint here recently over a trip far too short and recorded 29.99 last week on a very heavy track after it had rained all day long.

“She’s a half sister to Irish Derby Champion Good News so the breeding is second to none. Let’s see how she goes but we will take it easy with her. She’s very lightly raced in Ireland and doesn’t reach two years old until September”.

Chris Akers and assistant Vicky Booth brought three dogs over from their Newark base for a mixed 500m trial.

Gymstar Elusive was purchased earlier in the year by the formidable team of Charlie Lister , Kieran Hickey and Mark Bates.

Chris said “He ran a very eye catching race finishing runner up behind Newinn Session in the final of an unraced stake at Clonmel in mid February.  He’s been trialling well at Sheffield, recording a top class 15.88 a couple of weeks back, and 1607 last time out.  He sees out four bends well and we’ve got high hopes for him.

“The other 2 dogs in the trial , the old lad Kalamoun and Causeway Sergie, they really just came along to make the trial up for Elusive as he needed a 3 dog trial for qualifying purposes”.  Elusive won the trial by 4 1/2 from Kalamoun in an excellent 29.74 with a further 2 1/4 back to the staying on Sergie.

Ken Humphrey‘s Wingman has some decent form here at Nottingham and headed to the track for a 305m solo after recording an excellent 28.42 over the 480m course at home venue Perry Barr last week.  He stopped the clock in a hand timed 18.03 , moving well throughout and maintaining a strong gallop all the way to the pick up.