Tuesday’s trials at Nottingham were split into pre meeting morning trials and an ultra high class afternoon session. Adrian McPherson’s classy local runner Honour Turbo recorded a best of 29.73 at the early session with Anna Thompson’s youngster Haggswood Iso next best at 30.03.
Laurence Tuffin’s Colston Havana has ability but has struggled with injury problems throughout his career to date. He recorded 18.14 over 305m , a trip way short of his best but a step on the ladder to full fitness.
Hero To Zero is a leggy sort but got the afternoon session off to a flying start when recording 2983 when beating Roxholme Ray by 2 lengths.
Ballymac Osby posted a fastest of the day 29.69 when beating kennel mate from the Hutton kennel Kingsbrook Glyn by 3 1/2 lengths.
Pond Adonis ran a very eye catching trial when beating his Harry Williams kennel mate Pond Ricardo by 5 lengths in 29.76. Adonis , as appears his usual style , missed the break , soon paced up before being slightly crowded at the turn.
He was soon in command though and ran out an impressive winner. He’ll have to improve his trapping as he will not get away with such tardy starts against more talented rivals , but 200/1 ? Really ?
Roxholme Glory got the 480m trials off to a good start when recording 28.68 on what was just his second look at the track. He kept tight to the rails throughout.
Dorotas Wildcat showed he retains all of his pace however when recording 28.38 and beating kennel mate and highly touted Druids Busy Man by 5 1/4 lengths. 28.38 from Wildcat over this trip puts into context the 28.32 run recorded by King Lennon the previous evening.
The career of Dorotas Woo Hoo has been blighted by injury in recent times with just 10 races since emerging victorious in the Scottish Derby final of May 2017.
He moved nicely throughout when recording a hand timed 17.89 and hopefully this very talented dog can get back to somewhere near his best form. If doing so , he’d be a danger to all.
Magical Bale was well fancied for the 2018 Derby at Towcester after running out an impressive winner of the Puppy Derby at the same venue at the back end of 2017. He was eliminated early in the competition though when finishing fourth in his second round heat.
His career seemed to stall for a few races until heading to Ireland for a crack at the Irish derby. He has been sensational during his time on Irish soil though, finishing runner up in the final of the Derby at Shelbourne last September he is said to be a much more mature and improved dog these days.
Today’s 17.74 trial over the 305m course should serve as a huge warning that this 35 kilo son of Zero Ten is on his way back to showcase his huge talents on UK soil.
Hayley Keightley’s Roxholme Jim recorded a time just 1 spot slower than that of Bale when clocking 17.75 , this lightly raced dog who recently competed in the final of the RPGTV Steel City Cup continues to impress me each time I see him on the track.
Peter Harnden’s Salacres Punch was first to trial on Monday evenings session.
More noted for his powerhouse sprinting ability this 37 kilo son of Zero Ten initially missed his break before showing his customary early dash and stopping the clock in a hand timed 30.21. It was interesting to see Punch trialled from trap 5 and this appeared a wise move as he kept a middle , middle to wide course throughout.
Lenson Blinder was next up for Irish based Graham Holland. Owned by Lenny Ponder, Blinder has a fearsome reputation on Irish soil and made the final of the Easter Cup at Shelbourne in March. Monday evenings 29.82 solo trial wasn’t a bad run , but he just doesn’t seem to be quite as at home around Nottingham so far as he is at Shelbourne.
Liberty Hawk might not be a name familiar with too many but he is a dog with huge pace. Trained by Alan Bellis, ex racing manager at Bolton stadium in the North West , he possesses massive early and highlighted this when beating Jill Llewellin’s local bitch Nidderdale Lark by 4 1/4 lengths in 29.80 off the back of an excellent 497 split. Available at 150/1 , there would be worse bets at three figure prices with Alan telling me that he is far from at the bottom of the dog just yet.
Nedser Said for Paul Shore was value for more than the official 2 3/4 length defeat of Shaun Moore’s Sizzling Sally in a time of 3008.
Kevin Boon was next up with a two dog trial between Leemount Venus and Swan Style. Style was initially led up by Venus until taking the lead at the first bend and setting sail for what in likelihood would have been a comfortable victory , two lengths up heading into the back straight, Style eased badly for the sough, 3 lengths behind by the time they reached the third bend.
Venus won the trial by 3/4 length from the running on again Style who recorded 30.03. Five lengths can easily be knocked off the time of Style , this would have put Kevin Boons youngster at around the 29.63 mark , which would have been a very eye catching time indeed.
Cushie Jet has a 50% strike rate for Irish trainer John Codd on home soil with 11 wins from 22 races in good class opens. He posted a very decent 29.81 in his first look at Nottingham , with a fair amount of time left on the track after running off notably between bends one and two.
Troy Zico won the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby at Monmore in the middle of March but has raced just once since. He didn’t handle Nottingham with any fluency at all on what was his first look at the track , running as wide as anything that trialled recently between bends one and two , he then failed to handle the the third bend. He was beaten by kennel mate from the Dave Mullins kennel Noelles Phelpso 8 1/4 lengths in 30.05. Dave will be back next week and said that he expects a much improved run from Zico.
Kevin Boons loyal and talented servant Knockard Spring unfortunately picked up an injury when beaten 8 1/4 lengths by his strong running kennel mate Headford Maurice in 29.96.
Clona Blaze yet again showed terrific early pace when beating his Graham Holland kennel mate Nice Charmer by a length in 30.09. Blaze has been noted dropping tamely late on and to the pick up though , so maybe vulnerable deeper into the competition if not leading. His trainer noted that he would need a few runs though so there is time on his side yet.
The trials moved onto the 480m trip and King Lennon put up what I consider one of the best pre Derby trials to date when scorching around the track in 28.33. He was picking up the pace with each stride , staying the trip very strongly indeed. A puppy derby finalist at the back end of 2018 for the McNair team , I cannot over state how impressive this performance was.
Available at 80/1 in a couple of places , I can see that price collapsing the first time he’s put over the 500m course. Kennel mate King Sheeran kept a wide course throughout when recording 2879 whilst Queen Beyonce recorded 17.88 in a 305m trial.
