They say ‘it’s the hope that kills you’. Sometimes it is the hope that keeps you going.
When Magical Camilla joined Mick Fieldson eight weeks ago, the prospect of winning a Cat Two race would have seemed almost fanciful. 17 graded races, predominantly A2/A3 at Oxford, had resulted in just two wins. 18 minor opens had resulted in an identical number of successes.
But Mick was undeterred as he headed off to ‘Brough’ for the Angel of the North where she was drawn against 2-7f Faypoint Susie in the first round. Camilla scraped through – just. Seven days later, the 4-1 faced an even tougher task after being ‘struck into second‘. She scraped through in third.
Onto the final, and a new slimmer Camilla, down over a kilo since arriving in the kennel was an 8-1 when running from trap six.
Camilla’s trainer admits he wasn’t entirely convinced when owner John Reah said he had just bought a “good open class bitch for a handy price” but Mick admits: “John is a decent judge of a greyhound mind.”
(The exact purchase figure will remain private though the winner’s prize would have bought Camilla several times over).
Mick added: “But when she arrived, I took a liking to her. I thought, ‘this is a bitch I can do something with.’ She trialled well at Sunderland and whereas John thought we would go for a minor open at Newcastle, I decided we’d have a go at the Angel Of The North.
“I was actually quite confident for the final. I really got her weight down because I knew she would have to be at her very best – that’s a cracking young bitch who she beat in the photo.
“But it was a memorable night. There were people crying all over the place. It has given everyone a real boost.”
While many a punter might have been cursing the result of the photo finish, it is nights like these that keep people like John and Mick in the game.
Seven years after joining Sunderland from Pelaw, and following half a century on the flaps, it was the biggest win of Mick Fieldson’s training career.
Well – so far at least!!
