“I had got to a point where it was tough coming to work some days, but I’m absolutely loving my job again. There is a real buzz about the place.”
Central Park RM Rob Killingbeck followed his dad Tony into dog racing and is no stranger to the ups and downs of a racing office. But a change of schedule and a boost to the open race itinerary has “given the place a real buzz.”
Like most graders in the south of England, Rob was finding it increasingly difficult to stretch his racing strength to meet the track’s racing schedule which was reduced by a meeting last year.
In January, Central Park switched from the SIS to the ARC racing schedule which meant they could stage their opens on a Sunday afternoon, instead of the evening, and it has proved a game changer.
Rob said: “Trainers didn’t want to come open racing on a Sunday night and it was a struggle to fill them. Although we were back a bit last weekend, due to kennel staff going to the awards, the previous week we filled eight opens. This week we have another eight plus a final, and they are over five different distances. That takes the pressure off the graded racing and gives the racegoers a buzz.
“Crowds are up with the restaurant doing Sunday lunches before an afternoon’s open racing with the last race at 5pm. It has worked really well. It is also great having Daniel Rankin here. We were short of staff and the original plan was to look for a new assistant. But that didn’t work out. Having someone with Daniel’s experience to share the burden has been a bonus and enabled me to vary my workload. ”
If there was a voted for the most popular race distance in the Calendar, Towcester’s 500 metres, Central Park’s 500 metres and Hove’s 515m would take all make the medal places.
If the vote was for the most popular but under-used race distance, Central Park would get the gold. The fact that ARC finally rewarded the track and distance with a Cat One fixture – the Arena Racing Company Kent Plat – was just ridiculously overdue. The new £12,500 to winner competition gets underway in three weeks time.
Rob said: “I gather that it was Mr Baldwin’s idea, (that’s ‘Chuffin Dave’ to the rest of us – Ed) and everybody seems really excited about it.”
Those excitement levels could reach a new high when the most exciting greyhound in training goes to traps for the Plate first round.
Derby favourite Fromposttopillar hasn’t raced since his stunning display in the Coral Olympic Final on December 17. But he has been blowing away the winter cobwebs with two flying sprint trials and an astonishing spin over the 450 metre course.
The Liz McNair trained dual Cat One winner equalled Call Me Max’s 450 metre track record – and he did it on going rated -30. A calculation that some locals suggested might have been on the conservative side. ‘It was probably closer to -50!’.
Rob said: “The going is a matter of opinion, but it was a breathtaking run. What a machine that dog is! We double and treble checked the clocks, the time was accurate. We can’t wait to see him run.”
The 500m ARC Plate is for 36 greyhounds and concludes on Sunday March 26. It will be followed in June by the 265m Kent Silver Salver which will be a Category One event for the first time in its history with a first prize of £12,500 (from £5,000), thus making it more valuable than the National Sprint, Northamptonshire Sprint, Golden Sprint and Scurry Gold Cup – traditionally considered to be the main sprinting competitions.
Finally as Central Park we asked Rob to pick out too young hounds to follow during the summer. His choices
Pinewood Blake bk w d (Laughil Blake-Droopys Claire, May 21) Trained by Bob Pattinson, the youngster has four races on his card. Beaten on debut he saw off D3 and D2 fields before defeat in D1 last time out.
Rob said: “I try to look after the pups and he did a calculated 16.58 in the first win and is getting better and better. He will definitely see out the four bends in my opinion, and should go on to be a very decent dog.”
Fahoura Lad bk d (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Loom, Jun 21) The Mick Mavrias trained pup has won three of his five races over the sprint and recently switched to the 480 trip.
Rob said: “He won A4 first time out and then ran second in A3. He is only a June pup but has fabulous early pace and I would expect plenty more from him in his coming races.”
