Belle Vue’s latest recruit to the training strength, Gary Griffiths, began qualifying his first runners this week.
Racing manager Dave Brayshaw said: “We were just marginal for runners, but Gary bringing 10-15 each week will do us quite nicely.
“He is a young trainer with a long background in dogs on the flaps. He has been racing at Perry Barr but being based in Wigan, it was much easier to join us as the sister track.
“His first lot trialled this week. Hopefully most will be back next Tuesday with his first runners the following weekend.”
Zoo racegoers can anticipate a couple of particularly interesting races this week.
On Friday, Joy Andrews’ Flamboyant (Windy Millar-Maltese Force, May 14) returns to graded racing after a couple of narrow open race defeats at Sheffield.
Described by Brayshaw as the “hardest dog to find a race for at the track”, the British bred has won his last two A1s in 27.66 and 27.93 (-20).
The following night, sees the six bend debut of Aclamon Dodo (Kinlock Brae-Aclamon Nikki, Jun 14)
June McCombe’s brindle won his last A2 in 27.77 (+20) and trialled over the 590m course in 36.06 (-40).
Brayshaw said: “It will be an S1 but I would still expect him to start favourite. A lot of people have been waiting to see how good he is over the longer distance.”
