I read the article last week about a bias against British breeding and you don’t have to look far to find it. I keep hearing ‘Rab is getting all his winners in British bred races’ and then being told what great quality there was in the Eclipse. Guess what, two of the finalists are British breds!
If your face doesn’t fit with the press you get treated very differently. I heard on RPGTV the other day that if Ice On Fire was to win a third Category One competition, he would be an automatic Greyhound of the Year. When King Turbo won four in a year, plus a Cat 2 race – he didn’t even get the nomination.
None of which takes anything away from Monday’s final. There are six top class greyhounds in there who anybody would be honoured to put on a lead. Looking at the race, there are at least three early paced flyers and they won’t all get things their own way. I don’t really like the red box at Nottingham but Plaza Lep knows the place well and could make life difficult for the others.
We need things to go our way, but I would love to see one of our lads a length off the leader at the second bend. The plan is to take them onto Sheffield for the BGBF British Bred Derby and then think about longer distances.
I don’t know how far they will stay, hopefully a decent six bends. The last thing you need is a dog without a distance.
I entered five for the BGBF British Bred Puppy Oaks at Romford, but it didn’t fill. I think there was only one other entry.
Lads, lads – where are you?
I have had my binoculars and telescope out looking out for all those those Northern lads who accuse me of being too frightened to travel beyond Watford, but . . . . . .no. . . . . . . . still no sign of them.
Hopefully the sponsorship isn’t lost. Personally, I would like to see a British Bred Maiden Derby. It would be a great encouragement to all the breeders producing high quality graders who are just not classy enough to take on the true Derby dogs.
Two of our three entries have since been switched to Swindon for Oaks trialstakes, and great credit to the racing office for managing to accommodate us. There are lucky and unlucky tracks, and despite the disqualification of King Turbo as a pup, Swindon has always been lucky for me. I am looking forward to seeing the new circuit which I am told is very good.
I always had Queen Franklin as the fastest of the sisters – Franklin, Dolly and Tammy – but the other two have really caught up. Tammy broke 24.00 in a trial at Romford and both her and Franklin ran well ‘first look’ at Monmore.
We are also bringing back Beyonce after injury. She has gone really well in trials at Central Park but we are treating the race as a stepping stone towards full fitness. It is a quality race including (British bred) Witton Derecho, but hopefully the run will bring her on a couple of lengths.
The Leamaneigh Turbo/Skate On pups are due to have their last solo trials at Central Park on Thursday, with the Eden The Kid/King Danni pups to follow next week.
At this stage they look very different litters. The Skate On pups have much more of a ‘King Elvis’ look about them. Bags of early pace. King Bruno went the fastest in trials last week with a 29.50 trial on going rated .30 slow. Even though that gives him a 29.20 calculated, I don’t think it tells the whole story.
The heavy going is quite tough on the pups and some of them have been cramping. Of the bitches, Queen Jessiej and Lily have really impressed me. I am particularly sweet on Lily, but it is more to do with her attitude than her ability, though she has plenty of that too. She is only little but with bags of attitude and acts like she is 90 kilos. Look out for her.
The King Danni pups aren’t quite as inconvenienced by the going because they are bred to stay. The mum was a 28.40 Wimbledon bitch who stayed six bends and I think we will see the best of these when they reach two years old. Keep an eye out for King Axel.
Finally, we have decided that the British bred Derby will mark the end of the road for King Turbo. He has clearly slowed up and can’t compete at the top level any more.
He finished fourth to Bockos Doomie at Monmore on Saturday and was quite disappointing. We will give him a solo to make sure there is nothing the matter with him, but time is against him and he owes us nothing.
