Rab McNair is hoping that King Turbo can overcome a potentially tricky draw to land a fourth Category One event of 2018 and give a collective headache to the Greyhound Writers Association who are soon to vote on the Greyhound of the Year.
The British bred black clocked the fastest time in a high class Coral Olympic Final that will feature no less than three Cat One winners when the decider is run off next Thursday.
Ladbrokes Puppy Derby winner Rising Brandy looks to be improving with every race despite being beaten by two kennelmates in each of the qualifiers, most latterly in the first semi by kennelmate Toast Of London.
Sporting Dave has also had a phenomenal year with a Sussex Cup win and narrow defeats in the Select Stakes and Essex Vase. He also led a kennel forecast when beating Queenies Rainbow in the second qualifier.
Rab McNair assistant trainer to wife Liz acknowledges that Dorotas Wildcat, winner of the Star Sports Greyhound Derby and MSCM Select Stakes is the probable favourite to take the top award at the Park Plaza in January.
Turbo’s victories include the Cat 1 Monmore and Towcester Gold Cups plus the Kent Derby which would normally be enough.
King Turbo coping with the pressure on Friday morning
Only one dog has ever failed to secure the GOY title after three Cat One wins, Barry Draper’s Boherna Best, who also won the Monmore Gold Cup, plus the Laurels and All England Cup, but was thwarted in 2008 by Lenson Joker. No dog has won four Cat Ones in the same year.
As far as Thursday is concerned, Rab said: “I am not too worried by the draw. He started out as a wide runner and won from trap six at Doncaster. I am delighted in his condition at the moment. He would have run again last night if he had the chance.”
Turbo now has 35 unblemished races (20 wins) since being disqualified as a puppy. He was then barred from contesting the 2018 Derby, because Towcester chose to copy GRA and enforce a ban on disqualified dogs. It might also have cost him the highest honour.
Rab said: “I am pretty sure that some of the journalists have already decided to vote for Wildcat anyway. But if Turbo were to win on Thursday, it would give them something to think about.
“The Derby is gone now, and we’ll never know whether we could have beaten Wildcat or not. He is a very very good greyhound and best of luck to Big Kevin (Hutton). But we should have been given the chance.
“What annoys me is inconsistency. There are lots of dogs running graded or in opens, loads on RPGTV who are regularly fighting or dodging around. It is there for everyone to see. And the only reason these dogs aren’t being disqualified is because racing managers need to make use of them.
“I have a dog, King Nelson, who was marked awkward but not disqualified because he was a pup. Thankfully Peter Miller gave him a chance and although he has never done anything like it again, I’m not entirely happy with him and he is going over hurdles.
“The thing is, I could enter Nelson in the Derby but not Turbo.”
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