by Mark Pierrepont
Nottingham trial sessions on a Monday pre racing is already renowned for showcasing talent. The Colwick Park circuit is undoubtedly one of the fairest running tracks in the kingdom and trainers with proven open class greyhounds or promising youngsters, have no hesitation in using the session as a reliable and safe gauge.
But with the Star Sports, LPS and ARC English Derby first round heats set for Friday April 10 and Saturday 11, locals can anticipate witnessing an even purer grade of talent in the coming weeks.
This Monday the track was hit by a snow and hail storm which saw the track condition slow up markedly. Trial session allowances of 500m (-50), 480 (-40) and 305m (-10) were given by the racing office team.
Liberty Hawk trialled over 500m in a solo for Alan Bellis. Hawk ran in last years inaugural English Derby at the venue, winning in each of the first two rounds prior to being somewhat unluckily eliminated at the third round stage when finishing in fourth position behind the strong running Dower Rory.
Bellis said: “The weather really was atrocious. I did wonder if the track would manage to get the session and indeed the meeting on at one stage. But Paul and the track lads as always did a brilliant job.
“I really believe my lad is a much better dog this year. Despite him winning his first two rounds last year and not disgraced when eliminated, I was constantly treating him for minor issues. Nothing serious but just bits and pieces that were making life tough.
“He’s over all of them now. He’s a different dog and I’m expecting big things from him this year. I was expecting him to run well last night and under normal conditions would have comfortably expected him to break 30.00.
“Given the weather and how slow the track became, I still think it was a fair run on the night when you compare it to some of the other trials at the session on a dog to dog basis.
“I had Never Better Joe trialling as well over 480m, he recorded 30.18 (-40), the slow going wouldn’t be this lads forte at all though and he’ll be better off on the faster tracks during the summer months.
“I’ll give him an entry but the 500m will be as far as he’d want. If he were to go two or three rounds I’d be delighted with that and anything else in honesty would be a bonus”.
Wingman headed to the kennel of Ken Humphreys with a lofty reputation after winning a hot A1 Stake at Kilkenny in the summer of 2019.
He’d been running well in defeat at the back end of 2019 and early 2020 in opens around Perry Barr and Monmore.
But he seems to have taken well to Nottingham, winning twice and finishing runner up in his first three starts prior to turning in the traps in a race won by Dilly Dilly last week.
As such a re-trial was needed this week and he led Kevin Boon’s Three Ems for a long way over 500m prior to being picked up on the run in and beaten a neck in 30.92 (-50).
It was a fair effort from Ken’s dog but his time suggests that maybe the prevailing slow conditions didn’t prove ideal.
Boon’s bitch Three Ems is lightly raced but is a strong running sort who would have been well suited by the space given in a two dog trial.
Kevin said: “I was pleased with the bitch, it was a good effort but she’s one for the future and over further trips, there is no doubt about that. “Ems is out of a bitch called Body Clock. You might recognise the name, she’s the dam that produced Sheldan so we must be hopeful for the future.
“At this stage I’d say it’s unlikely I’ll have anything for the Derby, Headford Cain and Leemount Venus would definitely have been entered but have suffered injuries in recent weeks which pretty much rule them out.
“I’ve been running a few pups around Nottingham for a couple of reasons. It’s a good track for them to get experience of but you’re also hoping that one of them will surprise you and all of a sudden become an entry. At this stage that’s looking unlikely but you never know.
“I ran Zascandil at Nottingham last night. He’s been running well and is a nice young pup but even at this stage he looks to be needing a step up in trip and I’ll maybe enter him for Crayford on Saturday over 714m.
“The other young dog Droopys Premier was impressive when winning on debut over the sprint trip here last week and ran well again on Monday night behind a real nice type in Cronody Zero.
“Being honest we bought him as a dog that would struggle with a true four bend trip but he’s young and we might try him back at Monmore with a view to running in the Puppy Derby. It’s a fast four bends around there and he might be okay”.
When a greyhound records 18.30 (+10) around Shelbourne’s 350 yard trip, a time 3 spots inside the 18.33 track record held by Ardnasool Jet, you sit up and take notice.
When you realise that the greyhound in question is a pup having just his first official run at a track, you realise you’ve witnessed something special.
The greyhound in question is Deanridge Sirius (ex Droopys Factor), trained by Alison Kelly-Pilgrim and owned by Ray Dean and Paul Surridge.
His debut win at Shelbourne last August of 2848 over the 525 yards also marked out that this greyhound wouldn’t be confined to two bend action.
Missed breaks have cost him in a few of his races around the Dublin HQ of Irish racing but his pace is undeniable and his 17.79 (-10) run over 305m at Nottingham this week was an improvement on his first sighter last week of 17.88.
On both occasions he has beaten Diane Henry’s, as yet also unraced here in the UK, Savana Darn Hot (ex Newline Darn Hot) into second place.
A winner of 7 of his 26 Irish starts and a fifth place finish in the Juvenile Derby at Shelbourne in October mark out this as a young greyhound with a touch of class.
He’s all about early pace though and whether the 500m of the Nottingham Derby trip will play ideally to his strengths remains to be seen. He’s in capable hands however and I’m sure the best decision for the dogs progress will be reached.
Bower Luke is a greyhound with a reputation to match his huge 38 kilo frame.
Unlucky not to reach the final of the Stadium Bookmakers Puppy Classic here at Nottingham last year, eliminated in the worst possible placing when finishing third beaten just 4 1/2 lengths behind Roxholme Dolly after leading for a long way.
He then went on to finish runner up in the final of the O’Tooles Gym, Byker Laurels at Newcastle behind antepost Derby favourite Ice On Fire.
I spoke to trainer Pat Rosney after his Monday evening comeback trial of 17.93 -10 over the 305m trip.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted with that run. It’s his first outing since the Laurels final and he can only improve massively.
“He’s two and a half years of age now and all being well I think he can have a really big year. The 500m trip here at Nottingham does test him in the latter stages. At least it did last year. He might have strengthened up a bit this year you do have to think that in against Derby class it’s definitely a trip where he’ll have to get it right at the start.
“I’m waiting on news of the Scottish Derby, It’s a competition and track that I feel is absolutely made for him, the Laurels and then the Scottish Derby was obviously a route we took with The Other Reg back in 2018.
“It ended with him being successful in both finals and I see no reason why Luke can’t go very well up in Scotland too.
“If you were to ask me now which of the competitions he’ll excel most in I’d say the Scottish without hesitation.
“We’ll just have to wait and see on dates. At the moment nobody really knows if the Scottish Derby will be coming before or after the English, though as time passes by you’d have to say it’s more than likely looking as if the Scottish will fit in somewhere around the time that the English would usually be staged.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with his run on Monday though on what was a track that was terribly slow through no fault of the track staff. “The weather conditions driving down to Nottingham were horrendous and the lads at the track have done extremely well to prepare the track and get it back into good enough condition to race.
“We’ll keep him sprinting in trials for now, there’s no great rush and see how we go”.
On the Monday card itself, it really was a red letter day for local trainer Colin Wilton and his family.
Daughter Kelly and her partner Sam, along with Colin’s wife Diane and kennelhand Andrew, take care of a lot of the day to day training and Colin would be the first to admit that the kennel wouldn’t be as successful and as well run as it is without their support.
As Colin headed to London by train for a scheduled appearance on Racing Post TV, Kelly and Andrew headed to Nottingham with nine of the kennels stars on board the van.
Many of their runners were well supported throughout the day and the results that followed justified that market support.
The evening got off to the best possible start as Santas Spirit won the evenings opening A3. Glasgow McCrow landed one of the gambles of the day when holding the strong and persistent late challenge of Katrina Party when landing another A3.
Swift Ferdia one of the stars of the kennel made it three wins from the first three races when taking the A1. Indeed for a long way kennel stalwart Colbazkev held second position and looked like making it a kennel forecast. He eventually reeled in on the run in by Flaky Bandit to finish third. Ballydoyle Major could only finish fourth in A4 but the next winner was soon on the way as the highly promising and early paced A Perfect Boy made it seven wins in his last ten starts when landing an A2 event for the second time in a matter of weeks.
Piemans Prince who landed a mammoth gamble for his team of owners on a downgrade to A3 last week 8/1 into 6/4 finished in third behind Perfect Boy.
He looks destined for top grade and maybe a trip of two for opens elsewhere might not be off the agenda. Piemans Storm has a 33% strike rate in graded races since early December and he won in maiden company with the minimum of fuss from Kevin Boons Zascandil in second.
The evening wasn’t over yet though for Team Wilton and maybe the best was saved for last.
Piemans King (ex Beautiful Lass) was purchased after winning an unraced final at Cork in 28.68 in mid November.
He had run a nice race in third place behind Willowdale Shane and Hiya Boyo on UK debut here at Nottingham last week and this time around he made no mistake.
Taking the lead early he never looked in doubt as he held off Beales On Wheelz by a length in 3063 (-10).
Colin said: “It was a dream night, my best night in a lifetime in the sport it really was. Everything just seemed to go right. The dogs had chances but credit must go to my daughter Kelly, wife Diane and Sam and Andrew, I couldn’t do it without them.
“I’m the name on the programme but the dedication shown by them all is what makes us successful.
“On Sunday for instance we were being battered by Storm Ciara. There was a short gap in the weather in the afternoon but rather than taking a break to dry off, they were all out walking the dogs.
“The dogs come first second and third and I couldn’t be prouder of them. Monday nights results are just reward for their efforts.
“There are ten of us involved in the Piemans King dog, we’ve each put in a grand which bought the dog and left plenty left over in the kitty for any expenses along the way.
“Hopefully he will be my first entry in the Derby, it’s a dream to have a dog good enough to enter, he’s heading the right way anyway so the dream lives on for now !”.
Ballymac Ambrose won the final race on the card for Belle Vue trainer Beverley Heaton. Winning by 3 1/4 lengths in 30.31 -20, a run which highlights perfectly the tough conditions on the night.
Some of the runners and indeed owners and trainers will be pleased to see the first signs of spring in the hopefully not too distant future.
Thanks to all who have contributed to this first Derby Diary piece. I will be attempting to provide the best possible coverage of the Derby as we build up in the coming weeks.
Being at the trial sessions in person is a massive plus, there’s only so much you can gain from reading a result sheet so hopefully that insight will prove useful to readers and of course the comments from trainers in the direct aftermath of trials taking place.
