It has not been a week to remember and I am delighted to be back at home in Tipperary, arriving at 2am this morning.
Things didn’t start brilliantly on Sunday when ‘the Dude’ was beaten in the Produce Stakes Final. I had previously said in this column that trap one is far from my favourite at Clonmel, and as the racing manager reminded me afterwards, red hasn’t won the event in more than 20 years.
Dude didn’t run badly, but didn’t trap as well as I would have hoped, was hampered at the third bend and then had a dog run into him.
He’ll have a rest now and the longer term plan is possibly the National Sprint at Dundalk.
Things were no better two days later when our last two runners were eliminated from the Derby, Clares Wonder missed out by a short head from qualifying and Gaytime Hawk finished last.
Even if Wonder had got through, I would have withdrawn him from the semi finals with a TFL strain.
Overall, I think Wimbledon has a lot to learn from Shelbourne Park, which is usually the best prepared track in Ireland. There were a lot of injuries, a lot of dogs hitting the rail at the first bend and there was may more trouble at the third bend than there should have been.
My dogs are certainly used to longer hares on the Irish tracks, and I think that contributed to some of the crowding. I also wonder why the track isn’t plated immediately after the bowser has been around.
I’m not trying to be negative, the sponsors putting up the money has created great interest, but maybe somebody should look at the prize money for the others. It costs £250 to enter, I have been away four weeks, and the dogs collect £100 when eliminated, not enough even to pay the diesel.
As for the winner, Farloe Blitz looks the obvious winner though it remains to be seen how he copes with the three runs in a week going into the semi finals.
On a positive note, I liked the look of Towcester. The track is a slightly bizarre egg shape, and might have benefitted from longer straights, and a bit less noise from the guy on the mike, but there were many plus points.
The meal was excellent, the racing was good and I was particularly impressed at how they tried to promote greyhound racing, all the way down to the parades and the presentations. I also like the idea of the dogs getting a decent walk to and from the race kennels to the track.
I have no ambition of coming back to England, but if I ever did, I would apply to join Towcester,
Looking ahead we have the Champion Stakes at Tralee on Friday night with two of the outsiders, Sidarian Vega and Rural Hawaii.
Vega is a bit short of peak fitness but is well drawn in trap one and should get a run.
Hawaii was spiked at Clonmel and we were unable to gallop him but he is better now than he was at the start of the competition. He is in five, which I prefer at Tralee to six, and if he came out, would make them all go.
On Saturday we have the two sisters in the Oaks Final. Ballydoyle Honey will start a short priced favourite and I would expect a very good run from her. In fact, if I could have chosen her draw, I would have wanted the box she has been given.
Her sister Hovex Princess has not been so fortunate in five, much further out than I would have wanted, but she is a very determined bitch and won’t let herself down.
