Steeling the Gymcrack

Sheffield have announced that they have taken over the title of the Gymcrack and will stage the event in place of their Steel City Puppy Derby.

Sheffield RM Andrew Mascarenhas said: “We are advised by Kinsley that they would be unable to commit to the Gymcrack this year. Given the prestige and history of the event, we decided to rename our new puppy competition.

“It will go ahead as planned in April with the prize money structure already promised. It simply means that Kinsley’s event for May has been cancelled.”

Star of Broadway

Broadway Murty went into the Northamptonshire Sprint as a decent young dog with potential.

He emerged as one of the country’s top two benders following this performance.

Murty’s winning time was the fourth fastest ever recorded over course and distance and just a length outside the track record.

His trainer, Sean White, a South London fish merchant by trade, is yet another example of how greyhound racing remains a sport where the hobby trainer can rub shoulders with the sport’s elite.

Sean’s kennel is at the back of his home in with a maximum kennel space for five hounds.

Sean said: “I only have three at the moment. Broadway Mural who recent won in a decent time at Oxford and a young pup called Broadway Brave. He is only a September pup with one race on his card and is still very green but he has a 16.12 trial at Towcester on his card.

“I bought Murty through Micky Taggart who run a few dogs at Drumbo and Dundalk and has always done the right thing by me.

“He has only been beaten twice. The first time was at Oxford when he drew trap six and went straight across the field at the start. His other defeat was also at Oxford where he led between the third and fourth bends before finishing down the field. I checked him over afterwards and I think he had been spiked by another dog.

“Apart from that he has done everthing right (with six wins). He virtually comes under the bars and he is a great bend runner. Ideally I would keep him to sprints and although I haven’t checked the calendar over, I suspect that there aren’t too many two-bend competitions coming up. If that is the case, then we might have to look at the Golden Sprint at Romford, which will be quite a test in itself.”

But ask Sean for his most vivid memory of the day. . .

He said: “How great everyone was. David Mullins sat behind us and after the race was the first to congratulate my wife and kids. He was so nice and so gracious. Sid (Huett) congratulated me after the race and Mike Davis (MWD Partnership) texted me with his best wishes. There were so many more who just wanted to say ‘well done’. It was really fantastic.”

  • Newcastle have nine minor opens supporting Thursday’s ARC Northern Puppy Derby Final. Pick of the bunch is a clash between Silver Maiden winner Pape Di Oro, ARC Classic winner Jonny Whiskers and Winter Derby semi finalists Skywalker Pele and Burj Khalifa
  • Nottingham only stage one open on Friday (see below) though the most interest will surely be drawn to one of the best A1 fields seen at the track for a considerable time. It features the recent eight-timer Bitumen, the dog who stopped the sequence, Sambar Kian, now chasing his own five-timer, and the 29.23 Doncaster winner Leighas Dream.

Future Opens

Thursday:   Hove    +   Newcastle   +   Swindon

Friday: Nottingham   +   Romford