By Martin Seal
Two further new faces to join the Perry Barr training strength this month are GT Stuart Walton and OT Alan Newitt.
Stuart used to race at Perry Barr under the old permit scheme and will massively reduce his journey time after transferring from Henlow. He will have room for five hounds at his Stourbridge base.
Nuneaton based Alan, alongside brother Tony, enjoyed Category 1 success as an owner last year when Ascot Woodie landed Romford’s Champion Stakes under the stewardship of John Mullins.
The brothers are currently having a fine run at Nottingham and Towcester with the heavyweight youngster Carn Brea.
Alan picked up sprinter Zenno Rob Roy after some decent runs around Dundalk and Drumbo Park, and will doubtless find himself in the winner’s enclosure at some point soon.
Perry Barr’s Saturday night opens continue to go from strength to strength with Carol Weatherall’s Coolavanny Rebel, Kevin Hutton’s Ballyregan Jimmy and Carla Hendy’s comeback king Drumkeen Oyster trading blows over the standard distance in recent weeks.
Ian Walker’s Sober Cindy and Weatherall’s Holdem Bernado appear very well matched over 660m, but it was Saturday’s Love The Dogs Dash which raised a few eyebrows when the Tony Harmes owned and trained Charity Dragon landed the spoils in a flying 15.99 (N).
CHARITY DRAGON – Photo: Steve Nash
Winner of last year’s Kai Laidlaw Trafalgar Cup at Monmore and a semi finalist in the Romford Puppy Cup, both under the tutelage of Pat Rosney, the white and black speedster had lost his way a bit in recent months, save for a couple of fair runs at Romford.
Eight weeks off have clearly freshened him up, and perhaps a sprinting career now beckons for the son of Dragon Shield.
Turning to the graders, John H Smith’s strapping November bitch puppy Ballymacsingsing, owned by John’s nephew Anthony, is closely related to Irish Derby victor Ballymac Matt and the prolific sprinter Ballymac Bigmike.
He is progressing at a rate of knots after comfortably winning her second and third outings at the Barr. At the other end of the spectrum, Phil Naylor’s April ’12 fawn Geneva Billy recently marked his 149th race with a wide margin A8 win. Always devilishly difficult to collect at the trip, the evergreen Billy is a favourite of many with his catch-me-if-you-can antics.
Other dogs enjoying a purple patch include the Shirley Aveline trained Robinstown Rhys, who racked up a quick hat-trick for owners Paul Clarke and Stuart Williams, and the Neil Slowley trained Romeo True Blue, a recent purchase out of Dave Firmager’s kennel by ex-Perry Barr track staff stalwart Alan ‘Corky’ Corfield. Corky’s blue has won four from his last six and now finds himself in A3.
Perry Barr’s hare rail in both the home and back straights will be replaced this Summer, with work due to be carried out at the end of June and beginning of July. The rail has been looking a bit distressed in places over the past few months and the replacement sections will be installed between meetings with no disruption to the racing programme.
