“I don’t think there is any doubt that he is the best ever ‘Bubbly’ we’ve ever had, and the truth is, I didn’t want him.”
Steve Fluin, ringmaster and founder of Britain’s biggest and most successful syndicate, was positively bubbling himself following Bubbly Bluebird’s victory in the Nottingham Puppy Classic. Over a hundred members of the Champagne Club turned out to watch Paul Young’s powerful blue landed his third puppy final in an eight race career. No man was ever more delighted to be proved wrong.
Fluin said: “We saw Bluebird trial at Kilkenny as a pup and although he did a very good run, I had my heart set on a December pup to contest the Puppy Derby. Bluebird is a September whelp. Paul and I had dinner with (breeder) Michael Dunphy at Mings Chinese in Clonmel and I told them I didn’t want the dog. Paul didn’t exactly call me an idiot, but he made it quite obvious that’s what he was thinking.
“In fact, he was so determined to take Bluebird that he told Michael not to sell him on to anyone else, and he would take him and find another owner for him. The dog was sent over and I still wasn’t sure. He was a little bit nervous and very woolly, though he did have a certain stature. Paul gave me one last chance before he sold the dog on to someone else and I changed my mind – thank God!
“Bluebird has been sensational and Paul reckons he has never trained a dog with more determination going into the first bend. He is just so ultra competitive that he won’t allow anything to go around in front of him.
“When the draw was made for the first round, I said to Paul that I thought it was a match between us and Newinn Shadow, but I was badly wrong, as became obvious in the semi finals. We took a chance and seeded him on the rail because although he goes middle along the straights, we rails at the bend, and the draw inside Kildallon Bolt proved decisive.
“There was the most amazing atmosphere on the night and as Nathan Corden pointed out, the cheering started as soon as Bluebird led up and continued until after the presentations. It is wonderful for Paul to be proved right. Apart from being my trainer, he is my best friend and I will be his best man when he and Mim get married in October.”
First course at the reception – humble pie!
