When ARC announced significant prize money and trainer bonus increases in late 2020, Jimmy Wright went on record and said it was a ‘game-changer’ for the kennel.
Since then he and partner Angela Harrison have invested heavily in their own bloodstock with Angela taking the more hands-on role with the pups while Jimmy concentrates on the open racers. Top class open race bitches who might once have been destined to return to Ireland formed the basis of the breeding programme at their Alnwick Kennels and racegoers are starting to see the benefits.
They have a string of young British bred litters, the oldest of which have just hit the track. By Romeo Recruit out of Great North Run runner-up North Shellam Maebe, (Westmead Hawk-Woodhill Spark), six of the eight have completed schooling, of the two backward bitches, at least one is now chasing. Although only March ’21 pups, Alnwick Badger and Alnwick Snoopy have already raced. Badger was narrowly beaten in his first two A4s clocking 29.29 and 29.30. Snoopy has won both of his two races to date – both handicaps.
Angela said: “Snoopy has gone very well and we now plan to run him off level breaks. But there are several more coming through; Delano did 29.21 in his last qualifying trial.”
There is a slight gap before the conveyor belt restarts. The next bunch due in kennels are the 11 month Eden The Kid pups out of the brilliant sprinter open racer Droopys Reel (Azza Azza Azzaa-Droopys Dorothy) – four of each.
There are then two litters born a fortnight apart in October. The oldest are the two dogs and a bitch by Ice On Fire out of the Sunderland Classic winner/Gold Cup runner-up Velvet Juliet (Head Bound-Velvet All Jam). Then there is a litter of Droopys Sydney pups out of Doncaster Leger winner, Droopys Live (Tullymurry Act-Live Queen).
Angela said: “All the pups are black. In fact, I think Ice On Fire only throws blacks; at least from what I have seen. They are nice looking pups though, he throws them very tall. We were pleased to finally get some pups out of Droopys Live, she went a whole year without coming into season.”
Fingers are now crossed that Velvet Juliet is in whelp to King Turbo, while Shellam Maebe was covered by Hiya Butt. Looking further ahead, Jimmy and Angela are also hoping that nature will soon take its course and Coolavanny Bani will soon be the next to join this fabulous collections of mums.
