With the start of the Gain Nutrition Puppy Derby less than two weeks away, some of the brightest young talent in the country is headed towards Henlow for the £7,500-to-winner event.
The most impressive trialist to date has been Liz McNair’s King Nelson, winner of Central Park’s Eden The Kid At Stud Stake, with a 27.53 (+10) first look at the 460m course, despite stumbling at the boxes. Litter brother King Lennon did 27.62 at the same session. Two more of the litter, Kings Cash and Dylan and booked for trials.
Argentina, heads Kevin Hutton’s team, though the Puppy Cup semi finalist was outshone in last week’s session by new arrival Ballymac Diego with a 27.73 run.
There will be few with bigger reputations than Roxholme Butt, who went out of the Puppy Classic in the semi finals at 2-5f. A subsequent 16.00 trialist for the Sheffield sprint, Hayley Keightley’s runner recorded 27.88 on his first visit to Lower Stondon. Surprisingly, he was outshone on the day by new arrival to the kennel, the unraced Roxholme Jim (27.68).
Bubbly Cougar has found lumps of trouble in three of his four races to date but must have impressed Paul Young with 27.72 and 27.69 sighters.
Track spokesman Martin Race said: “It is looking as though it could be a very good competition. We have three puppy races on Sunday and plenty still trialling. Patrick Janessens brings the Central Park A1 winner Desperado Dan tomorrow, Kevin Boon also has triallers planned, as has Pat Rosney.
“We are also delighted that Angela Harrison is travelling with Droopys Nadal who has a 28.65 on his card at Newcastle. I was also very impressed with Jim Hayton’s Strides Farran last weekend.”
The Gain Nutrition Puppy Derby is for 36 pups whelped in 2017. It runs over three Sundays, getting underway on December 2nd. Entries close next Wednesday.
