Pruhsdent Thinking

When Peterborough closed, the racing industry appeared to have lost one of its most highly respected handlers.

Dave Pruhs guided some fabulous dogs through their racing careers: Mount Royal Fox, Micks Rover, Spring Gamble, Mission Trio, Laughing Gravy, Scolari Sound, Kooga Klammer, Rockforest Pride plus three Select Stakes winners: Moyle Knight (’95) Jaspers Boy (’98/’99).

But when the Fengate Stadium staged its final race, two and a half years ago, it seemed that expertise had been lost for ever.

Dave said: “Well that was the idea. I didn’t see any future in training but I had a couple of pups here for an owner and he pleaded with me to get them graded. I did as he asked and qualified them at Yarmouth. But that didn’t really affect my long term plans.

“Going up and down the A47 with a couple of graders wasn’t really for me, particularly given the calibre of dogs we had once had in the kennel.

“I was ready to call it a day when one night John (Mullins) asked me what I was doing there. I explained the situation and he asked if I was prepared to school some pups for him.

“When I ask how many and he said ‘about 30!’.

“I wasn’t able to handle that many but that is how the schooling thing came about and it has continued from there. It is very manageable and I’m enjoying it.”

The Pruhs van is a regular visitor to the late Henry Chalkley’s schooling track with one visit a week to Askern. The recent Kevin Huttont trained tricast in the BGBF Puppy Cup Final were all schooled by Dave. As were Lee Field’s ‘Snooty’ litter and others coming through all the time.

Dave said: “One of John’s pups won a maiden at Towcester on Sunday. I’ve got pups for Dave Mullins, Carla Hendy, Debbie Hurlock, Gemma Davidosn. . . . I have a waiting list most of the time but I am enjoying it. When we school them at Askern, we even have video recordings so owners can see.

“The vast majority of pups chase. I had a couple from John recently who might have eventually gone but you know at that stage you are flogging a dead horse. They could possibly have run on BAGS and no one would have known they weren’t chasing but that is no good for them in the long run. John knows that and he re-homed them straight away. ”

Which just leaves one piece of unfinished business, the acrimonious departure after more than 40 years at Fengate.

Dave said: “I was quite prepared to go until I was told that they weren’t prepared to pay me a penny. That really irritated me so I decided to take them to court. The way I looked at it, the parent company was still trading and contracts work both ways.

“We got to a point that the case was deferred and I suggested to my solicitor that I would be prepared to settle out of court. The other side jumped at the chance. I am not at liberty to say how much I was paid, but I was quite satisfied.

“I am a bit irritated that the other trainers could have done the same thing, whether or not they went on to other tracks. Peterborough were still liable under the contract. In fact, if the trainers had got together one firm could have represented everybody and we would all have got paid.”