Suffolk based John Mullins goes double handed into tonight’s All England Cup semis but also has a runner in Sheffield’s BGBF British Bred Derby Final at Sheffield.
At Newcastle he has the second and third favourites, Mr Chelm (6-1) and Swift Iconic (7-1) and is hopeful that both will progress to next week’s £20,000 decider for which Jimmy Fenwick’s Brookside Richie is the 5-1 favourite.
There was only one spot separating the kennelmates last week.
Iconic will be well fancied to land the first semi after going through the Oxfordshire Gold Cup unbeaten and then winning his first race at Newcastle in 28.73.
What about the draw?
John said: “Would I rather see him in two or three? Yes? Would I settle now for him getting through and getting trap one in the final? Of course I would.
“But as I always say about trap draws, there is no point moaning about them. You’ve got no control over it.”
So how good is the lightly raced brindle?
“Very good, in my opinion” said John, ‘a proper greyhound.’ As good as Goofy”
Mr Chelm, otherwise known at Kildare, goes in the second semi final which is unquestionably the toughest of the three.
The Star Sports Derby runner-up is the ultimate in versatility having won from all traps, including in the Michael Fortune Irish Derby Plate when he sported the orange jacket.
John said: “He needs the run. He isn’t fit enough yet and it was only his class that got him through last week. But I am hopeful that the run will have brought him on.”
Derby semi finalist Signet Goofy goes in the Sheffield Final alongside two of littermates, all of which were reared by John from three months old.
As a wide seed, he was always guaranteed his trap, though John admits to come confusion over semi final form.
He said: “Everybody knows that Patrick’s bitch is real quality but I am struggling to work out how he was nearly nine lengths slower than her in the semi finals.
“It really doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, bearing in mind who else was in his semi too, and they finished behind him.”
On Friday he has Silverspring Ria through to the final of the Bet365 Challenge Cup, having seen kennelmate Chelms Chris fail to qualify.
Prior to the race, John had suggested that ‘if the going was two seconds slow’ he would withdraw his runners. The fact that the going was returned at 1.60 slow was not an issue for him.
He said: “Overall, I don’t have a problem with slow going. I am far more worried about fast going when tracks are running 40-50 fast and hocks are being broken.
“Yes you are more liable to more muscle injuries on slow tracks, but they don’t compare to the hocks.
“Although the heavy going takes more out of them, as stayers they can take it.
“I had two at Oxford and four at Romford where it was also very heavy and all six came off sound.
“But if I have any doubts in my mind about the safety of the track, I will pull them out. It doesn’t happen regularly, probably about once a year.
“The last time was at Nottingham for the Eclipse semi finals. It was very very wet and I didn’t consider it safe. I told the track that I wasn’t prepared to run my dog and there was no issue.
“I have withdrawn dogs from tracks all over the country, including the Scottish Derby when I was concerned about safety.
“What I won’t ever do is run my dog and complain about it later. If I have made the decision to run, I stand by it.
“That isn’t for everyone and many trainers would take a different view which is entirely their right.”
