The roller coaster ride that is greyhound racing was perfectly illustrated at Newcastle on Saturday where Pat Rosney enjoyed several highs, but suffered an unexpected low writes John Forbes.
A team of eight runners travelled from Leyland to Tyneside for the start of the track’s big Festival and he was rewarded with four winners, but heat four of the All England Cup saw the hot ante-post favourite Swift Hoffman make an early exit, failing by just a head to claim third place and a chance to make amends in the semi-finals.
The dog made an indifferent start, soon became the meat in the sandwich between Maum Legend and Reel Shirty, was forced to check his run, and went round the initial turn last.
He did produce a good effort up the back straight and seemed in a position to at least qualify turning for home, but he just couldn’t get there and ahead of him the photo showed that Glenpadden Rock had held on by a short head from Maum Legend in 28.74 for the 480 metres, with Sandyhill Hitman denying Swift Hoffman that all-important third place.
Farloe Nutter took control of the first heat at the second turn and ran on well to defeat Swift Keith and Swift Carter by two and a half lengths and a length and a half in 28.65, while the Ted Soppitt-trained Calzaghe George was in great form in the next, making all to win with ease from Bramble Ted by three and threequarter lengths in a fastest-of-the-night 28.48 with Satin Mark third.
Aero Inferno was a winner for team Rosney in the third qualifier, another to cash in on a good start as he accounted for Droopys Vodka and Viking Jack by two and a half lengths and half a length in 28.56 in a race that saw competition second favourite Minglers Thunder crash out after taking a bad knock at turn one and Ascot Woodie was another for the kennel in heat five, making all and coming home two lengths ahead of Astra Prince in 28.72, with Calco Flyer in third.
The shocks continued in the last heat where the Rosney-trained favourite Vatican Gurkha started favourite but could only finish fifth behind Shaneboy Freddie who held on by a head from Holdem Chico in 28.71 with Swift Whirlwind comfortably home in third.
Calzaghe Matt (28.93) made a bright start in the opening heat of the Northern Puppy Derby where he led from the first bend and stormed home four lengths of clear of Woodys Antigua, who was a short head ahead of Greenwell Gem, while ante-post favourite Droopys Buick reeled in Ballymac Darragh at the penultimate corner in the next and went on to beat that rival and Bramble Robson by two and a quarter lengths and threequarters of a length in 28.81.
Calzaghe Billy was odds-on for heat three and justified that confidence with a comfortable two and a half-length success in 28.81 from Burnfoot Rumble, Droopys Portlaw progressing from third, and the fourth qualifier saw Bower Road spring a 16-1 surprise as he managed to miss the worst of the trouble at the first turn and run on to finish two and a half lengths in front of Droopys Five in 29.13, with Fred The Shred taking third.
And the night finished on a high note for Rosney as Camp Joker proved too good (28.56) proved too good for Ballymac Sheehy and Bramble Paddy in heat five and Newyork City Boy was never troubled to beat Reynolds Badger and Millars Daisy in 28.95 in the closing qualifier.
