We have selected a team of eight for Newcastle this weekend, five for the All England Cup and three for the Northern Puppy Derby.
I had always intended to run Swift Hoffman, Vatican Gurkha, Aero Inferno and Ascot Woodie, but with Swift Carter running so well, and knowing the track, we decided to take him too.
The three for the puppy race will be Camp Joker, his brother Newyork City Boy and Peerless Trio.
All our dogs will be trying their best though I admit we are particularly hoping that Hoffman runs well after owner Paul Scott suffered a stroke last week.
Apart from owning dogs with us, Paul is a good friend and Julie and I wish him a speedy recovery.
We are by no means certain to make the top six of the Trainers Championship table but even if we do, I have decided that we won’t be going to Sittingbourne.
There are various reasons for it. In the first instance I don’t have any stayers. Faran Heaslip may make into one but I still lack another.
Secondly, I think the timing is bad being staged so early in the year. It would mean trialling your best dogs in January which makes it a very long year for them.
Thirdly, as last year, I don’t race at Sittingbourne and if I had been consulted would have opposed going there. Apart from anything else, it is the track furthest away from us. I wonder, if the most southern based trainers had been asked to travel to Shawfield at least three times in January/February – you certainly couldn’t run without sending your eight runners for at least two trials – would they be prepared to do it?
I know that there is a lot of money at stake, but my personal gain has never been a priority. I would much rather win a big competition for the owners.
Newinn Yolo and Take The Crown took another step towards racing again when trialling at Nottingham on Monday night. Yolo went around in 17.91 and Take The Crown did 18.19 for the 305 metres.
The times were okay without being earth shattering. On the plus side, Yolo went up with the traps or might have gone a couple of lengths quicker.
I am excited by several young dogs who have just come into the kennel with next year in mind.
I have just bought a very promising youngster from Jim O’Donnell. His is a September pup called Newinn Blitz and is by Kinloch Brae out of Any Time Again, the dam of Fiery Spendour.
He did 16.52 in a sprint trial at Clonmel and Jim rates him very highly indeed.
I own him myself and may keep him or sell him, but under no circumstances will he be leaving the kennel.
