Mark and Hayley are firmly from the ‘quality over quantity’ end of the training market with a ‘Roxholme’ strike rate that is the envy of the industry. They have come close, notably with dual distance star Hiya Butt reaching Derby finals at both Wimbledon and Towcester. But in what will probably be their last year as trainers, before handing over the licence to Craig Morris, Mark explains why 2020 may be unusually low profile for the husband and wife team.
The disappointment
ROXHOLME NIDGE Photo: © Steve Nash
Unfortunately we shall go into this Derby with a very much depleted team. Sadly Roxholme Nidge is not going to make this year either.
Such a travesty really, that one if the best greyhounds we have been lucky enough to handle, will not participate in any heat of a Derby during his fabulous career.
A career that was really full of brilliant performances, but even then you do have to give a thought to what might have been had he not broke his hock in Doncaster.
From that moment it seemed that even when he made his recovery from that particular injury there was always something else restricting his progress.
The Team
So heading this years challenge for Team Roxholme is Jim, our ‘nearly dog’, just a lovely dog to handle from A – Z. There is absolutely no doubt he goes to traps each night with a chance to beat anything on his day but in all honestly he will probably come up short over the long duration of the Derby, but if he is lucky enough to go deep again this year he won’t be lacking for the heart to try and go all the way.
We are trying really hard to get Dolly back to fitness to take her chance, no doubt in my mind over the true four bend trips like Nottingham this bitch is right at the forefront of her division as top female. A bitch that as already proven she is able to go with the likes of our current superstar dog Ice On Fire, she has never been good enough to beat him yet, but at the same time she has ran him very close on all occasions.
She suffered a fairly bad injury in her 2nd run at Romford and it’s been a long road since then, however two flashy sprints and a lovely 4 bend workout after a very bad stumble start have her on the way back, she is just having treatment on a small shoulder niggle at the moment but should be able to continue her come back shortly.
Hiya Boyo, a dog the Hiya Butt lads are involved in with Hayley, be great to go one better than that fella. Boyo is very much a dog similar to Butt, he’s maybe not blessed with the trapping ability Butt had, but like butt he’s possesses a lovely turn of early.
I was gobsmacked when he got picked up in his debut after being clear, but he was found to have a small tear in a muscle, he visibly stopped up the run in and I’d say after watching him flick the tail a couple of times around bends 3/4 it happened around that part of the race. He could not get beat from where he was.
So again he’s on the come back trail and it’s so far so good, a lovely sprint this week will hopefully be followed by another next Monday and then we will look to step on the gas a bit with him, I have no doubt he’s got the ability to go deep in the Derby, I would just hope we get a little bit of luck to compliment his undoubted ability.
After that we probably haven’t got too much, Roxholme Glory fractured a hock clear in a race at Romford and Roxholme Harvey was well on his way back to fitness and would have been our dark horse this year but he’s had to have two webs cut back very recently after his latest work out and won’t make it.
So all in all it’s been a tough few weeks with injuries which is very frustrating as we are very much in the mood of all dogs are checked without exception after every trial or race.
But you only need 1 dog to be able to win a Derby and hopefully we should turn up with three so as per the norm, we will give it our best.
