Six of the fastest, most powerful greyhounds headed into traps at Sheffield last night at 8.59pm for the final of the BresMed Northern sprint writes Mark Pierrepont.
When all six jackers emerged from the traps within no more than half a length of each other, with each of them wanting a position nearer the rail than the outside, something had to give.
Patrick Janssens Magical Houdini was the first runner to be seemingly squeezed out of contention, with Calzaghe Flash for Ted Soppit edging off from trap 1 and with Roxholme Nidge in no mood to give up any ground.
Houdini could find no way out of this one and was shuffled to the back of the pack. The remaining five runners headed into the first bend with no more than a neck between them, Kirsty Grayson’s Coolavanny Dylan, drawn in trap 6, was right up there and was in no mood to be denied.
He came across the the pack in determined style, driving the bend with bravery and determination. At the same time, Calzaghe Flash appeared to clip the inside rail, forced off the bend and hampering Phil Simmonds Grays Cup Winner, drawn in trap 4 and the aforementioned Roxholme Nidge in the process.
Nidge came off worst, knocked over he was out of the race, but gladly for all watching, Hayley Keightley’s superstar was soon back up and running.
Upfront though, Dylan was away and gone, the cheers from his loyal band of followers at Sheffield went up and he wasn’t for catching. Houdini meanwhile, who looked in a hopeless position entering the bend, did manage to extricate himself and set sail after the leader in a forlorn chase.
Giselbertus was another to suffer badly in the first bend crowding for Belinda Green. On another night, breaking the way they did, all six of last nights finalists would have been soon on the way to comfortable sprint open success, this was no ordinary race though, this was the BresMed Northern Sprint Final of 2019 and the night firmly belonged to Kirsty Grayson’s Coolavanny Dylan.
Click results to watch replay
Sponsor Nic Brereton (right) presents the Bresmed Northern Sprint trophy to Nick Taylor, kennelhand and partner of trainer Kirsty Grayson, holding Coolavanny Dylan. Photo: © Steve Nash
Julie Bateson (left) and her sister Diane Smith collect after Tree Top Jet’s win in supporting sprint on Bresmed night. Jet’s winning time of 16.08 was quicker than the main event Sheffield 30th April 2019 Photo: © Steve Nash
