For various reasons, we only ended up with one in the TV Trophy in the end, Ribble Atom.
She was beaten in her trialstake at Towcester last weekend but was a bit unlucky after missing her break and being beaten six lengths by Droopys Cottage.
I am hopeful that she can make it through to the final but I don’t think this is really her year. She is only just turned two years old and will hopefully be back stronger and more experienced in a year’s time.
Overall, I think Hayley Keightley’s bitch, Roxholme Magic, looks a worthy favourite. She broke the marathon track record at Hove last week and looks a class act.
It is interesting how the trap draw worked out with the six leading fancies being drawn in pairs: Ballymac Bonnie/Roxholme Magic, Bubbly Time/King Kane, Ribble Atom/Droopys Cottage.
The conspiracy theorists must be loving it.
For the sake of the sport, I’d love to see all six in the final.
Our bigger interest is in the Lowther Stakes. Great credit to Mark (Lowther) for sponsoring what, at £10,000 to the winner, is only second to the Oaks as a bitches competition.
We’ve had a cracking bunch of bitches in the yard for some time and have eight in the first round. On all known form, track record holder Domino Storm, and the ‘Evanta’ girls Fantasy and Evita, would appear to have the best chances, but I would hope we could get a few through.
We have a new arrival from Sheffield, Deanridge Angel. Patchys Kerry joined us a while ago and ran in the bitch’s Hove final last week but was badly drawn. At least she has trap two at Towcester. Then there is Aero Babooshka who has already won one completion this year and a young bitch called Airforce Duchess who I suspect will make up to a stayer.
It is also great to see Irish entries in both the TV Trophy (Ballymac Bonnie), and the Lowther Stakes (Droopys Streak).
I am sure Liam Dowling and Fraser Black will be made to feel very welcome.
We won three of the four heats of the Totepool Premier League last weekend with Ilewin Allot, Ballymac Sinbad and Aayamzamodel. The other was won by one of our old boys, Blackstone Marco.
We’ve done pretty well in the competition so far, but I admit to being a bit frustrated that the competition wasn’t better supported by my fellow trainers.
I do understand why they didn’t take part. Clearly, they want to keep their top, top dogs for major competitions. Also, it is held on Kevin’s (Hutton) and my home track, which might but some off.
But it is fantastic prize money, including £50 per runner for the trainers, and for so many of the leading trainers to turn their backs on it sends out the wrong message to track promoters.
I feel strongly that we, as trainers, should support this type of initiative. If the Premier League was being held anywhere else. . Newcastle, Sunderland, you name it, I would make sure that I entered a team of dogs.
