The first stage of Monmore’s plans for an expanding fixture list went according to plan with Paul White’s first graded runner Droopys Spencer obliging on Monday afternoon.
The 10-1 shot was the first leg of a five-timer from 15 runner, though given the times and winning distances (hd, 1, sh, nk, 1/2), there was certainly nothing to cause any anxiety for racing manager Tony Williamson.
He said: “With the exception of one runner who got behind and will have to re-trial, they could not have run closer to trial form.”
With Monmore due to stage a fifth fixture per week from January, Wiliamson has made a series of changes to preempt the new Wednesday fixture. The track are to switch their main trial meeting to Wednesday morning and are bringing evening kenneling for their Thursday and Saturday card forward to 5.10pm to allow for extra trialists.
The arrival of White has seen the local strength expand to around 410 with Williamson setting a target of 480 by year end. So does that mean another appointment is likely?
He said: “We will see how the kennel strength stands closer to the end of the year. It always dips during the summer months but it has climbed rapidly in the last month with four or five kennels taking on a considerable number of new dogs. We would always give them the opportunity to set their own levels before we consider a new appointment.”
Williamson is also bullish about the chances of the track reaching the BAGS/SIS Track Championship final – they are 18 points behind leaders Swindon with a home leg still to come – after a strong showing at Swindon. It hadn’t looked so promising for the Black Country venue following some average trial performances.
He said: “Yes a few of them didn’t trial well, though they certainly ran to form. In fact I thought we were a bit unlucky with Image Carranna going lame in the bitches race and we’d had one disqualified at Towcester. We are looking forward to Perry Barr (October 9th).”
