Hayley Keightley celebrated her first track record as a professional trainer as Target Harris set a ‘VQAw.ALd’ new Crayford 380m best of 22.88.
Husband Mark said: “Its no secret that whenever he breaks like that he does something sensational. There was the time he broke the Nottingham sprint clock, or the Jimmy Lollie record at Hove and now another very tough track record that doesn’t get broken very often.
“He is always been very fragile; a hard dog to keep sound. He’s held together by nails and elastic and Hayley has done an awful lot of work to get him back to this stage.
“The plan is to take him to Nottingham on Tuesday and then Pelaw. The three quick runs will help us decide whether he can take the racing. The big objective would be the Yarmouth Derby which I think would suit him down to the ground.”
So why the switch to ‘professional’ from greyhound trainer licence?
“So we could have a full kennel and when Hayley and I fall out I am allowed to stay in the house, rather than sleep there” quipped Mark.
“In all seriousness, we had a discussion about enjoying our racing more and feeling less pressure in having to win.
“We have some good people around us, and felt confident enough to extend the kennel to 18 dogs. We’ve done a lot of work here improving the place including the gallop which has a new watering system and floor hare. The kennels have been improved too.
“We have some high quality young dogs here, including some that Hayley bred herself out of Roxholme Sue and we want to give ourselves an opportunity in the second half of the year of a top six place in the trainers championship.”
That push will be helped by the return of Roxholme Dream who is 11 weeks out of season.
Mark continued: “She is over all the little niggles she picked up earlier in the year and I was thrilled with the 23.24 (380m) trial at Crayford last night.
“The plan is for her to defend her St.Leger title and fingers crossed, finish her career in style by contesting the Oaks.”
