1997 There is a thrilling end to Sheffield’s £3,000 one-off Dransfield Novelty Invitation. The four runner event goes to the locally trained He Knows (Slaneyside Hare-I Know You). Barry Draper’s 6-4f beats Toms The Best by two lengths with Blue Murlen third and Bulawayo Power back in fourth. The winner’s time was 29.16 for the 500m. He Knows had previously finished runner-up to Some Picture in the Greyhound Derby Final and went on to win the Blue Riband.
Frank Scargill and Barrie Draper with He Knows
1997 Jaspers Boy (Castlelyons Gem-Polnoon Lane) begins a love affair with Nottingham by landing the Coldseal Puppy Classic for Dave Pruhs. The 11-10f clocks 30.17 when beating El Franco by four and a half lengths in the £10,000 decider. The brindle returns to Nottingham to win the 1998 and 1999 Select Stakes – he contests the 1997 and 2000 Selects!
Dave Pruhs with Jaspers Boy – pic Steve Nash
1997 Lenson Billy dominated the Essex Vase and went to traps unbeaten with a best run over 35.06 over course and distance and more than five lengths to spare on semi final final. In the £5,000 decider, he clocked a 13.85 sectional when leading Countrywide Ace and was still more than five clear of Elland Flyer at the finish. It was a great weekend for the Ponder/McEllstrim partnership who won the Wimbledon Puppy Derby the following weekend with Lenson Hero.
Len Ponder, head girl Mary Pledge, winning owner Pat Ponder and trainer Norah McEllistrim with Lenson Billy at Romford – pic Steve Nash
2000 August Hove. It is a great night for the Smoking Boys, John Ward and Vinnie Jones as Smoking Bullet (Joyful Tidings-Aggies Vixen) wins a thrilling £6,000 Chas Miller Sussex Cup Final at Hove in 30.04. The 9-4f gets home in a three way photo with two short head verdicts from Jays Honcho and the kennel’s second string Smoking Wardy. It was a great night for the Knight kennel who not only landed the £1,500 Toms The Best Stayers Trophy with Wyndham and the £1,000 Puppy Trophy with Steer The Way.
Chas Miller Sussex Cup winner SMOKING BULLET with co-owner John Ward – pic Steve Nash
2008 Jesters Nap (Droopys Vieri-Star Time) puts young trainer Jim Daly on the open race map by landing his biggest race to date, the £6,000 Stan James Puppy Derby at Wimbledon. Bred by Jim with a pet name of Charlie after his old guvnor Charlie Lister, Jesters Nap was reared by Hazel and Michael Kemp. The fastest semi final winner duly justifies his 11-10 favouritism with a 27.55 three and a half length win for 460m.
Charlie McCann (left) of Stan James presents the Puppy Derby trophy to Jim Daly, trainer and breeder of JESTERS NAP. Pic Steve Nash
2009 18 month old Ten Large Down (Royal Impact-Honey Princes) completes an unbeaten run through the Westmead Puppy Derby at Henlow. Handled by the virtually unknown Diane Henry, the black goes to traps at 4-7f and beats Armani Lad by just under seven lengths in 27.58 for the 460m. Two months later he lands the Northern Puppy Derby before going on to take the 2010 Racing Post Juvenile.
TEN LARGE DOWN and connections after his Westmead Puppy Derby victory. Owners John Lynk (left) and Lee Greenacre flank sponsor/Henlow co-promoter Bob Morton as trainer Diane Henry holds the winner. Pic Steve Nash
