Our two stud dogs King Elvis and King Turbo will be joining Richard Culley in Ireland this week where they will stand alongside Eden The Kid.

The decision has been forced on us a little bit by Big Ronnie Grey’s decision to give up the game. Such a shame, he is a good man and whenever I drop into his place on the way to Newcastle or back to Scotland, the dogs always look magnificent.

Although some people would say they are a loss to British breeding by going to Ireland, I really don’t see it that way. We have plenty of straws from both of them at UK Clone in Gatwick, which is far easier to get to for us in the south. I can’t speak highly enough of them there. Every bitch that we have taken there has produced pups.

The days of people expecting natural matings are long gone. I would rather the bitches be tested and inseminated. Besides, how many of the leading Irish stud dogs are even alive? You see the dogs advertised but, at least according to the rumours, several well known ones have already died.

If any breeder has any misses to either Elvis or Turbo, get in touch and we will sort it.

 

On Thursday morning we are off to Towcester with some trials for the British Bred Sprint, but I am also planning to give Queen Beyonce a trial.

I handslipped her at Central Park last week and she came off sound on the old tendon problem that looked as though it had ended her career. Not only has there been no reaction, but when a dog picks up an injury, as any of the dog men will know, when they pick up an injury, they will normally have a couple of days of feeling a bit sorry for themselves.

But Beyonce is back to her cheeky self. She is absolutely full of it, even trying to steal a bit of food if she thinks I’m not looking. She really is ‘daddy’s wee girl’.

As for the injury itself, it is one of the worst a dog can get, when the main tendon pulls away from the bone at the back of the wrist. I have had so many dogs retired with it over the years. I’ve been to all the best vets in England and Ireland and all different types of operation and rest, but nothing has worked.

But I am holding out a bit of hope for Beyonce for two reasons. Firstly, if the injury is going to come back, it normally goes in the first run back. Beyonce is though that stage. The second reason is that she reminds me of Leamaneigh Turbo. She is as hard as nails and so was he.

Brendan bought Leamaneigh Turbo who broke down after about 40 yards in his first trial after he had brought him. It was the same injury as Beyonce, in fact, probably worse because it was a bit higher.

The dog was written off that he would never race again. But I persevered with him. He was kenneled with Wee Tiger Tots and every day I would let them off together and he would chase her around the paddock. When they finished running he would come back limping and I would stand him with a leg in a bucket of ice. He would even stand there while I took the next two to the paddock.

I would then pick him up and he would walk away normally. It would be the same routine every day. Eventually I decided to trial him and he did something like a 16.05 for the sprint at Wimbledon. His whole UK career was after that injury but he had to have the ice treatment after every race.

I never thought Beyonce will get the chance to contest a second Derby after reaching the semi finals last year. She may not still, but anything she does is a bonus and if she was to come into season she would be mated.

There is a lot going on in the next week and I can’t wait to get back to Towcester with triallers for the British bred sprint.

At the moment, I have three definites in King Sam, King Bruno and Queen Lilly, who is just returning after season. Bruno led and got picked up over the 480 at Monmore last week. King Drake has 28.18 form in the Puppy Derby at Monmore, but I’m not sure whether to take him back there for the Gold Cup, or maybe also go to Towcester.

At this stage the Gold Cup definites are King Sheeran, who ran a cracking race at Monmore last week. .

despite getting beat, Queen Jessiej and probably King Louis. King Cash is a possible for either the Gold Cup or the Stayers Classic, with King Lennon and King Dylan definitely going for the 630 competition.

Before Saturday we have two in the bitch’s final at Romford and then no sooner is the Towcester competition over than we have the Produce Stakes at Swindon.

Lots of racing and really pleased to see such a great effort by the Breeders Forum for British breeders.