I will be setting out at 9am this morning with our four runners for the BGBF Northern Plate semi finals.
We have four very good draws and I would be disappointed if each of the dogs doesn’t improve from their first look at the track.
Newcastle is quite a tricky place to run for outside dogs. It is a long run to the bend like Nottingham, but is as narrow as Crayford. There is talk that the owners are looking at adding some banking to the bends, which can only help improve racing.
King Turbo looks to be in as good shape as I can ever remember and I thought he showed determination and track craft in the first round. If he breaks at his best, surely he can find a chunk of time?
We have two in the second semi final in Queen Cher and King Sheeran. Cher showed a lot of determination to run such a good second with no track experience. As for the RPGTV comment that Sheeran might have left a couple of lengths on the track, personally, I thought he left about two minutes on the track.
King Lennon is not trapping at the moment needs to improve on that if he is to make it to the final in a tough semi final.
If he does, it will be in the middle of the Kent Derby. He is due to run at Central Park on Sunday and is at the stage of his career that he needs to kick on.
He would barely blow a candle out after his races and I am hoping that the quick runs will bring on his fitness. I did briefly consider entering Turbo and Sheeran as well, but Turbo is almost four now and it would take too much out of him. I wouldn’t risk Sheeran because of his old hock injury.
When you rear a litter of pups you hope that they can be as good as the best you have produced. I have to say, I think the Leamaneigh Turbo/Skate On litter could be a level above anything we have had so far.
This is what they did on Wednesday at Central Park.
Those kind of runs take my breath away.
There were five sprint races on the card which were won in 17.33 (D5), 16.98 (D2) 17.27 (D4), 16.85 (D3), 16.90 (D2) and 17.04 (D1).
I have no reason to lie, the pups are not for sale, but that was the third time ever in traps for five of them, the second time for King Drake and they are May 18 pups.
Incidentally, the A1 was won by Queen Dolly in the fastest time of the day, 29.44 (-30). She is from the January ’18 litter by Leamaneigh Turbo out of Queen Asia. She has been with Dan Brabon and will be coming back to us now.
All of which means we will need to move on some of the older dogs in the coming weeks. As for the pups, they are about to be kept in cotton wool.
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