We are all looking forward to the start of the Derby, though it is with some trepidation as the draw has not been kind to our five runners.
I am a bit disappointed at how the thing has mapped out, in terms of the number of heats with only two to qualify.
I realise that nobody knew how many runners would be entered and what issues that might raise, but not knowing how qualifying would work until the day of the draw was just bizarre.
If are ever in this situation again, I would favour reverting to the old method that used to be used at White City – qualifying trials. It is still used in the Produce Stakes.
Basically, everybody would be aware that if there are in excess of 192 runners, all the dogs would need to run 4-dog trials with three to qualify.
Everybody would still have to pay their entry fees, and it would have to start a week earlier. But you would know where you stood.
At least they are consistent with two to qualify in all heats, rather than two in some and three in others. I don’t like the idea of qualifying times because the going at Wimbledon could be so variable.
The other major change I would like would be some flexibility on the draws to be fairer to trainers. Why can’t we be more like Ireland and try to get as many runners on the same night for each trainer?
Obviously I am biased, but it is a 500 mile round trip for us, leaving at midday, or possibly earlier on a Friday. We have five runners spread over three different nights, and we have one dog who isn’t due to run until 10.20pm that night. Then we are not back until probably 3am the next morning.
I spoke to someone at the GBGB who said they were looking at the idea but, like the trap draws, it would take some planning.
I would suggest that the draw is made, but that the individual heats were not put in any particular order. Then someone from the racing office and a trainer’s representative could try to work out on which nights they should be run.
Basically, trainers with the most runners and travelling the longest distance would get some sort of priority.
I realise that you can’t please everyone, and that some trainers would always feel hard done by, but surely we can improve the system in some way?
Even if we were able to get our five runners into two meetings, it would be an improvement.
At the moment, the biggest beneficiaries are the oil companies and garages.
Newinn Yolo is our first runner and goes in heat four on Wednesday. Although he is ideally drawn in red, I am concerned about Teejays Panthe (T2). He also wants the rails and when they met at Monmore, it got a bit messy.
Fortunately, Yolo can look after himself and he will stand his ground at the bend. Anyway, I would rather be drawn on the inside of the two than on his outside.
I can also predict some difficulties for the four and five who both like to dominate from the front.
In terms of Yolo’s preparation I couldn’t be happier, and I would be hugely disappointed if he doesn’t qualify.
I will be driving on Wednesday but my partner Julie will be taking the three runners on Friday with me watching the racing on RPGTV.
Burgess Oscar goes in heat 27. He is a fast dog who picked up a stress fracture soon after he joined us and hasn’t raced very much.
I was delighted with his first trial (28.33) but he made a mess of his second trial on Saturday.
He does appear a bit ‘hit and miss’ at the traps and will need to be on his ‘A game’ if he is going to qualify, but he has enough ability to win.
Ascot Woodie is a cracking dog, very genuine who never runs a bad race. He went very well in his two races at Perry Barr and was then beaten just over four lengths by Yolo is successive trials.
The second one is a bit deceiving though because he took a bump at the bend or would have finished a lot closer.
There is a bit of talk about Peter Cronin’s dog (Dughill Rocket-T6) in the same heat but I am reasonably confident and would hope to win the heat.
Swift Hoffman runs in the following heat, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit concerned.
He has only ever won from trap six, and was even beaten in his trial from trap five. There were 73 wide seeds in the draw and 48 trap sixes, so we were hoping he would get one of them, but it wasn’t to be.
The thing is, he has two running styles. Put him in a solo and he runs middle to rails. Put him in a race, and he is an absolute wide runner.
He also has some very decent dogs up against him including Swift Perth on his outside and Graham Holland’s puppy Sidarian Vega in two, though at least there is a vacant trap on Hoffman’s inside.
At this stage though, I would just be happy to see him through to the next round.
I’ll be back at Wimbledon on Saturday with Aero Inferno. He arrived with us unraced and found a problem with him which we had to get treated.
We originally entered him in a Maiden Derby at Newcastle and he was second to the dog who eventually won the completion, until he clipped his heels at the third bend and was eliminated.
We then took him to Nottingham for another maiden event, which he won and we even managed to get him into another maiden at Perry Barr, which closed on the morning of the Nottingham race, and he won in the fastest time of the year (28.30).
I was very impressed with his Wimbledon trial when he was bumped at the traps and came from behind a decent Irish dog to clock 28.56.
It is a race with lots of quality and tons of early pace. I don’t think he can lead, but I do think he can run on and it will help that he is a fantastic bend runner.
Fingers crossed for Saturday, but whatever happens, Inferno is a young dog who I expect to make big progress in the coming months.
Overall, I could not be happier with our runners who all go into the event spot on. This year for the first time, we have a team of dogs who all have the ability to either lead or come from behind. The kennel has been in good form, I hope it extends for a few more weeks.
