Henlow racing manager Paul Mellor is used to shaking his head when he has to fill his Sunday opens. This week, he his banging it against his desk.
Excluding the sprint final, with its first prize of £2,500, every race at the charity meeting in memory of David Naughton has a £500 first prize. Needless to say, the grader’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing.
Mellor said: “We had 18 entries for the six-runner 460 maiden, another 18 for the six-runner 550 maiden, another 18 for the Midi, and so it went on. We have put together 11 opens plus the final and still had 60 dogs not getting a run.
“I know there are going to be a lot of very disappointed people, and there was nothing in quality between some of those who made the cut and some who didn’t. I can only apologise to those who missed out but we can’t put seven dogs in the traps.”
