THE NIGHT THE GEORDIES STORMED MONMORE

“I sourced him myself really. I watch him lead up Knocknaboul Syd at Shelbourne Park but saw that he missed the bend. I wondered whether there was something amiss with him. I tried to buy him but the owner wasn’t keen because he was in the Gold Cup. But once the final was over, we managed to get him.”

Although he never did find any sort of injury to cause Popeye to run straight on at the first bend, Stuart Tighe has never regretted the decision to buy the son of Sparta Maestro who went unbeaten through the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore to land the Newcastle handler his first Category One victory.

(The race video will not play through the current Greyhound Star App, but can be viewed along with the other Monmore opens on the Star’s Youtube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/c/GreyhoundStar1983/videos The updated App should be available within the next week)

Popeye, who had been running in top class company but whose only formidable line of Irish form was a 28.49 win at Waterford, is jointly owned by Stuart along with Richie Colquhoun, Kelly Macari and Dave Mallone.

Stuart said: “We had a list of dogs we were after and Popeye was top of the list. He was still struggling to get around the bend in the heats of the Northern Flat but took well to Towcester and then Monmore.

“I was only looking at his Irish form the other day. We were hoping for an inside draw and Monmore, but then remembered that the Waterford run was also from four. It didn’t seem to bother him did it?

“He will have a three to four week break now and then we’ll bring him back for the Steel City Cup at Sheffield.”

Gold Cup winner MINGLERS POPEYE with trainer/part owner Stuart Tighe (left) and kennelhand Tom McHenry. Photo: © Steve Nash

In a recent article Jimmy Wright suggested that partner Angela Harrison would be back among the big race winners very shortly and they certainly weren’t holding back on Saturday.

Not only did Coolavanny Bani land the Summer Stayers Classic, but the kennel completed a treble with Moanteen Mikey and Droopys Conrad.

Jimmy said: “The kennel is in good order at the moment and we are very pleased with the young dogs. As far as Bani is concerned, we are already thinking about the St.Leger. She has only been over 680 metres once, at Nottingham when she was much younger. But she is older and stronger now and I think she will get it.

“I also think Coolavanny Aunty (currently in the Juvenile Classic) will get the distance too. Though until you try them, you never really know.”