It has been a rough week – we’ve had eight second places since last Sunday and will possibly miss out on a category one finalist with Vatican Cohiba.

I admit to being really disappointed with the results from Shawfield on Saturday. Our two didn’t run badly in the RPGTV Scottish Derby first round, but neither trapped and they paid the price.

I was absolutely gutted to see Newinn Yolo and Swift Hoffman drawn in the same semi, particularly up against Tynwald Rodney who impressed me in trials and in his heat. It made a long drive home seem even longer.

We always knew Newinn Yolo had a very decent dog on his inside in La Cuchilla, though I thought that with a bit of luck, he could have sneaked through and won the race at the third bend.

The winner was only one spot slower than Rodney in the fastest time of the night, so we things could have been so different.

Hoffman was a slightly different story. I watched the recording three or four times and it is quite obvious that he anticipated the traps opening and got it wrong.

His sectional (3.81) was slower than any of his heats and ten spots slower than his best.

Ironically, I reckon Hoffman has the better draw on Saturday because the pace is on the inside and I think he will be the only one on the outside.

I read Daniel Rankin’s comments on the site earlier in the week about Hoffman wanting to move to rail. Its true, but only when he is clear. If there are dogs on his inside, he runs around them.

To get one dog through would be brilliant. I don’t even want to consider the possibility of getting them both through.

It is a very good competition with some top class runners. If our two don’t get it right, they’ll be gone.

 

 

I am gutted for owner Robert Ferrari because it looks as though Vatican Cohiba will have to be withdrawn from the Betfred Gymcrack.

She is still due to be checked over and once we know the result, we will make a decision, but I am not confident.

She is not putting her weight on one of her legs and I fear it could be a metatarsal injury.

It is a bonus having ten days between semis and final but on this occasion, that won’t be nearly long enough.

We still have Swift Carter in it, though he disappointed me after being picked up when in front.

He actually stays on very well, but as we saw in the heats up against Southfield Jock, he perhaps lacks a bit of middle distance pace.

He has a very poor draw in the final in four with Southfield Jock on his outside. He really wants to be closer to the rail. Jock beat us in the first round after missing his break, and should be quite short, particularly if there is an empty trap on his outside.

But I am glad we are not drawn on the outside of Seamus’s (Cahill’s) other runner Ballymac Manix who looks certain to move to middle.

We will get Carter checked over. There might just be something that needs tweaking, and as I said, with a big break between semis and final, it gives you a chance to put things right.

Apart from the big race finalists, we are trialling back Mileheight Alba and Gregs Diva to hopefully contest supporting opens on the final card.

 

This will be our third time with finalist at Kinsley and it is a track that I thoroughly enjoy visiting.

Three years ago we had the runner-up with Blazing Ruso. Last year we had second and third with the two in the Scottish Derby semis.

I have never been to a track that tries harder to accommodate owners and trainers and make them feel welcome. All the trainers talk about it

They bend over backwards to sort you out trials and after trials they insist on feeding you. At most tracks they would be looking to sell you something.

It was a similar story at the semis last Sunday. There are six people in Swift Carter’s syndicate and the track insisted on feeding all of them and myself. They even send you away with food.

The circuit isn’t the biggest, but I have no problem with it or I wouldn’t put my best dogs around it, and the running surface is superb.

I have a good friend who I recommended bringing all his graded dogs to Kinsley and he absolutely loves it there.

There are a few tracks out there you could learn some lessons about hospitality.

As for the £1,000 bonus for the trainer and £500 for the breeder. That has to be the way forward.

 

I am really chuffed with the start that Take The Crown has made to his stud career.

Unfortunately, his first bitch missed, but the second one had seven dogs and two bitches.

He has three booked in at the moment, a decent bitch from Pelaw plus open racers Britania Joan and that top class Sheffield bitch Stepaside Glenis.