We have a dog in each of Saturday’s Ladbrokes Gold Cup semi finals at Monmore, and for various reasons, I am expecting improvement from each of the three.
King Sheeran goes in the first semi final, and as well as he ran in his heat on Saturday, I don’t expect him to run anywhere near as wide as this (from trap six) . .
Now watch the race again but don’t watch him, look at the line that Droopys Lisbon (T5) takes on the run-up. There was nowhere else for Sheeran to go but on the grass. I had been a bit concerned about his hock with four runs in a fortnight at Swindon, but the races are now coming once a week.
I had a chat with the editor about some articles John Kohnke, the vet, wrote about bone-remodelling, and on that theory, the hock should now be stronger than when he first came back. I certainly hope so. You don’t expect any easy rides in a Gold Cup semi final, but I would expect a decent run on Saturday.
As far as King Turbo was concerned, I was pleased to see him back to somewhere near his best after a couple of very poor races at Hove.
He is in a very tough semi final with the fastest first round winner Forest Jason, and the dog beaten a head by him, Lenson Whelan, on Turbo’s inside. I was particularly impressed with Julie’s dog, who looks a real star in the making. Turbo is an ‘old pro’ at this stage. All tracks and draws come alike to him though if I had to choose a box for him, it would probably be the three.
As for those two poor runs at Hove, a track which he loves, there is in my opinion, a very good reason, or some people might to label it as an excuse, for two sub standard performances for one of the most consistent dogs on the open race circuit. I am talking about the weather.
In the week around the Sussex Cup, we had temperatures of up to 42 degrees in Kent. People get carried away about racing or travelling for these dogs in the heat, but they are entirely missing the point. They only race for a few seconds, and the air-conditioned car and stadium kennels are as good as it gets.
The problems are just general living for these dogs. We hose down everything, we do our best to keep everything cool but in those sort of temperatures, the dogs suffer. Going out to the paddocks, and particularly at night when it all felt so close and sticky.
Again, you would hear some people say, ‘its the same for all of them’, but they would just be showing their ignorance. Dogs are like people, the heat affects us all differently. But with some dogs there is a tell-tale sign that they are struggling with the heat. Their testicles (Word changed – Ed).
When I was walking Turbo I noticed that his seemed to be hanging lower than usual and I was reminded of something I heard as a kid on the subject. It was supposed to be a sign of a dog who was too hot. I wasn’t convinced so I asked the vet and she told me it was true. The testicles have to be keep cooler than the rest of the body and the dogs have the ability to carry them lower when it gets too bad.
This week has been so much cooler and the dogs are transformed, none more so than Turbo.
The racecard often only tells a small bit of a race. You need to watch King Cash’s (T5) run behind Adis Abebba (T1) in the Gold Cup first round to see how well he ran
I was conscious that Cash, and Sheeran hadn’t seen Monmore since they were pups, but we hadn’t had time to trial them because of the Produce Stakes so they were both recent runs in the circumstances.
Also, I wasn’t the only trainer who thought the outside of the track looked a bit powdery last Saturday. I realise that it is difficult to get it just right and the track can vary. At least Tony Williamson is a racing manager prepared to listen, and do something about it, if he thinks you are right. Hopefully, they can pay it extra attention this weekend.
Some time ago, we received a big offer to buy King Turbo from a guy in Los Angeles. I understand that it was the same man who bought Loughteen Blanco for China.
First of all, when Turbo does retire, the only place he will be going is to Richard Culley, to stand at stud alongside Eden The Kid as the heir to Leamaneigh Turbo. This whole project has never been about money, Brendan Keogh is a sportsman who is in it for the love of the game.
But these ‘antis’ sicken me. Do they really think that anyone is sending dogs out there to eat them? They are businessmen buying the best bloodstock in the world. Did any of the antis kick off recently when a pigeon was sold to China for £1.2m?
Instead, they are trying to destroy greyhound racing in Britain and Ireland by using China to raise funds. Personally, I believe we should re-think the way we deal with the antis, and we could start off by filming and identifying them. Then we can start protesting at the places where they earn a living.
I would like to congratulate the British Greyhound Breeders Forum for really raising their game in recent months. The new committee has some top greyhound people on it.
There are a whole string of British Bred events and it is only right that we support them. Next weeks I hope to have Queen Cher and Queen Franklin in the British Bred Oaks at Doncaster.
Turbo is getting on but in answer to Ian Walton – who suggested on RPGTV that some kennels are too frightened to travel to Newcastle for the Northern Plate and that we are frightened of the locals – the message is, McNair will be there! I have never been frightened to travel, Scotland or otherwise.
As for the Forum, keep up the good work. The only thing I would ask is that breeders be consulted about which tracks these events should be run on. It has nothing to do with geography, I just think it is a good opportunity to recognise the tracks who try hardest on their racing surfaces.
We have sent some of our younger pups off to Bicester for schooling but I have booked some of the others in for their first handslip at Central Park this week. They include five litter brothers by Leamaneigh Turbo out of Skate On.
They are 15 months old and in Ireland would probably be racing by now. But they are absolute 37 kilo savages who will rip the lure to shreds if they get the chance. I think I will have my hands full, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.
