Mark Pierrepont continues his preview of the hounds nominated as future stars by a wide variety of industry figures.
After winning 3 of her first 5 career races, Central Park trainer Barry O’Sullivan puts forward Dark Midnight as a bitch to follow. Winning on debut in A5 company, Midnight has since added a couple of A3 wins to her portfolio.
Tony Bullen has been one of the number one judges on the open race greyhound scene for many years. A dog mans man who says it as it is. Tony puts forward Magical Icarus, though beaten when favourite for the St Leger Final at Perry Barr, this dog looks a serious tool over staying trips and will fear nobody wherever he turns up. Jonathan Hobbs also goes for the litter brother to top Irish star Skywalker Logan. As already noted above, this dog has unlimited potential over staying trips and is sure to give trainer David Jeans a year to remember with any amount of luck on his side.
Photo: © Steve Nash
With just two wins from her first 9 races, the best form of Borna Flo is surely all in front of her. Jim Reynolds young bitch looks to stay well and he believes she is well worth keeping onside.
Irish trainer Peter Cronin has developed a fearsome reputation both on home soil and when making one of his regular visits to the UK for the English Derby and other big competitions. Peter puts forward Crossfield Con, a winner of his first 3 races around Waterford, including a 28.38 debut success, this is a young greyhound with the world at his feet.
Good judges in the world of media are difficult to come by and the guess merchants are easily identified. Racing Post TV’s Dave Clark has firmly established himself as one of the leading open race judges around in the past few years and Dave nominates Queen Beyonce as his bitch to follow for 2019. With a winning record of 11 from 16, Beyonce destroyed her rivals most recently when recording 28.66 calculated for the 480m trip at Central Park when winning by an ever extending 14 lengths. This bitch has it all, will be extremely difficult to beat in against her own sex but is no back number when in against the big boys either. In the more than capable hands of Liz and Rab McNair.Photo: © Steve Nash
Paul Lawrence, leading greyhound commentator, owner and general enthusiast is never shy in putting forward an opinion and it’s always one worth listening to. Paul puts forward Saving Face, an unraced pup trained by John Mullins who has been noted trialling well around Yarmouth recently.
Jason Barrasford of RPGTV fame plays down his knowledge but he is no mean judge behind all of the bravado. Jason put forward a greyhound which has also been nominated by his trainer. Newinn Banger is Jason’s one to follow for 2019.
Kevin Boon is a man not afraid to travel with his dogs. Kevin nominates Headford Maurice as his dog to follow for 2019. Purchased by Kevin after winning on his second and final Irish start around the tough Galway circuit, Maurice has always looked a stayer and did well to reach the Essex Vase Final. He then backed that up by reaching the semi final of the Olympic at Hove. Sure to be a stronger, more experienced dog in the coming months he’s sure to give his sporting trainer plenty of fun.
Nottingham trainer Colin Wilton believes readers should be keeping his new recruit Superb Beauty in their notebooks. Graded in at A2 level, Wilton believes she’ll start to repay her purchase price in spades over the coming weeks and months.
Ian Fortune, leading Irish commentator and well respected judge puts forward the Graham Holland trained Wolfe as his dog to follow for 2019. This big black dog has won 2 of his 6 career races to date with victories at Clonmel 28.57 and Shelbourne in 28.58 to his name so far. Wolfe possesses massive back straight pace and given the calibre of greyhound that Ian would witness at Shelbourne on a regular basis, it is of extreme interest that this dog is Ian’s ‘one to follow’ for the year ahead.
The Comerford family have been huge supporters of greyhound racing in Ireland for many years. A very sporting family and not one person would have begrudged seeing their superstar puppy Killer Bee winning their very own Comerford Puppy Stakes at Shelbourne recently. Bred by Kinloch Brae out of the superstar bitch Ballydoyle Honey, Bee was bred to be special and he looks just that. Aidan Comerford had no hesitation in making in Bee his dog to follow for 2019 but also says keep Jazz Beat on side who he believes is a fair bit better than his form to date might suggest. Bred by the Comerford families own stud dog Zero Ten and out of star staying bitch Volcano, this December 2016 whelp should have no problem staying stiff tests of stamina.
Personally I’m going to put forward a dog trained by Kevin Hutton as my one to follow for 2019. Step forward Ballymac Osby. This strapping 37.5 kilo son of Kinloch Brae has won 6 of his 12 career races to date. He has reached the semi finals of the Eclipse at Nottingham and the Olympic at Hove in recent months. He is sure to be a better dog next year as he grows into his huge frame and has shown on more than one occasion that he has the pace to live with the best dogs in training. He might not be a dog that wants knocking out of his stride too much as he strikes me as a dog that takes a little time to get back going again, however with a run, Osby is a dog that nobody should be taking lightly.
The above are just a few greyhounds who are sure to be winning races throughout the year. I’m sure that you all have your own greyhounds to follow, let’s hope that 2019 is a happy, healthy and successful year for all of us and most importantly of all our greyhounds.
Mark Pierrepont
