Jimmy Wright’s second string Slippy Perry (Crash-Mays Peg, May 13) ran the race of his career to land the Jimmy Husband Memorial at Newcastle.
Favourite in red was kennelmate Droopys Buick (4-9f) following his 28.40 heats success but the six spot slower sectional after a moderate break gave the initiative on the rail to Shaneboy Freddie (4.71) and Perry (4.69). Kevin Boon’s 5-1 chance Freddie seized the initiative on the rails and looked the likely winner at the second bend. But the striped jacketed Perry, bought out of the Red Mills Unraced at Clonmel in January, had other ideas and set about chasing the leader.
Freddie, who has winning form over 515m at Hove, is presumably amiss after capitulating late on in the 480m contest, but Perry got home to capture the £5,000 winner’s prize in 28.69.
Connections on Pinpoint Boon, beaten in the qualifiers, would question what might have been following their dog’s 28.34 – fastest of year – in a supporting event. Some run on a night on a track where many other winners fell short of their fastest times.
Meanwhile in the £1,500 De Luxe Flooring Puppy Standard, Pat Rosney’s Newinn Blitz (Kinloch Brae-Any Time Again, Sep 14) produced a professional performance to lead from trap to line. As predicted in the trainer’s regular column, the 7-4f led from trap to line to beat Ballymac Rio by a length and a half in 29.12 – a surprising four lengths slower than his heat win.
Words cannot adequately describe the supremacy showed by Roxholme Magic (1-8f) in the 895m marathon. It is best watched.
Out of interest, she took 22 lengths off leader Gleneagle Tina in the second circuit. Magic’s winning time was 56.26 – Aayamzabella’s track record is 55.81. Hayley Keightley’s Magic (Definate Opinion-Sizzling Sarah, Dec 12) has won her last seven in a row and must be the early favourite for the 2016 Greyhound of the Year title. However given her dominance, it may be necessary for promoters to pay the opposition to compete against her in future events.
Other runs of note: Jason Ray’s Savana Lord (Vans Escalade-Lady Lucielle, Jul 14) literally bounced back after being floored in the Peterborough Puppy Derby Final to land the night’s maiden puppy open. The 5-1 chance who was running A6 at Henlow in May clocked 29.18 for the 480m.
At the other extreme, Walshes Hill (Zero Ten-Incredible Lulu, May 12) went to traps for the 39th occasion of his UK career and won for the 30th time. Jimmy Wright’s veteran went to traps at 4-7f and won by nearly eight lengths in 16.97. His time was 17 spots slower than his last win and 23 spots slower than his track record.
Kennelmate Droopys Trapeze (Tullymurry Act-Droopys Blossom, Sep 12) made in seven wins from 10 races with a bloodless win in the puppy open. The Gymcrack winner (1-4f) led up and held off a gallant Burnfoot Rumble by a length in 28.81.
The maiden standard went to recent 27.83 Belle Vue A1 winner Aclamon Giro (Makeshift-Mrs Bouquet, May 14). June McCombe’s 6-4f clocked 28.83 for the 480m. The third of Jimmy Wright’s four televised winners was Shellam Maeby (Westmead Hawk-Woodhill Spark, Nov 13). The local six-bend backmaker who runs A1 but is even more effective over the 670m trip, went to traps at 3-1 and beat some season open racers in 39.22 for the 640m (TR 38.61).
