Going strong in Sprint
There was only one winning favourite from the Coral Golden Sprint first round – and it was the ante post favourite Druids Say Go who also clocked the quickest time.
Patrick Janssens’ white and black extended her Romford winning sequence to five and saw her ante post price clipped from 13/2 to 3/1 though she faces a tough task in the semi finals drawn alongside one of the few hounds who can go with her to the bend, Romeo Cypher.
It was a terrible night for local handler Maxine Locke who saw Droopys Eddie break a hock after leading in his heat. The kennel’s other four runners were also eliminated.
Maxine said: “Eddie won’t race again but will be operated on, on Monday and then re-homed. It was a terrible night. They tell me ‘that’s dog racing’ though that isn’t a lot of consolation this morning.”
The heats:
BOMBOUT BULLET (t2) disputes the early lead with Shirleys Boy (t1 right) before going on to beat that rival in 24.30. Coral Golden Sprint heats Photo: © Steve Nash
RAPIDO LADY (t4) wins heat two by a head from Bombay Zero (t2) Photo: © Steve Nash
ROMEO CRUSADE (t1) wins heat 3 in 23.98 Photo: © Steve Nash
ROADSEA GUN wins heat 4 Photo: © Steve Nash
Taylor prepares for TV with a record breaking performance
Ballymac Taylor broke the Oxford 847m track record with a hugely impressive run on Friday night.
The MWD Partnership owned 4/6f won by 10½ lengths in 52.90. The previous best was Space Jet’s 53.04.
Mark Wallis’ black looks certain to start as the ante post favourite for the £15K TV Trophy which gets underway at the Cowley venue a fortnight today.
Beyonce and beyond
Of all the announcements ahead of tomorrow night’s awards, none would have been a patently obvious as the Dam of Best British Bred litter award which went to Queen Beyonce.
Her exceptional litter to Droopys Sydney which includes Cat One running ‘Kings” Memphis, Capaldi, Combs and Sydney with Queen Shakira the pick of the bitches. As December ’21 whelps, all should soon be approaching their peaks. But what about mum?
Rab McNair said: “She has a litter of six by Magical Bale out in the fields. I really like them, they are big strong types, much like the first litter. They are due to be brought into the kennels in April along with a King Elvis/Queen Dolly litter and some King Sheeeran/Queen Izzy pups.
“Beyonce is a six months bitch and we missed her last time. She is due in season any time soon and we are looking at options. Brendan (Keogh) has some more Droopys Sydney straws, but we are thinking about taking her to our own dog, Fromposttopillar. He had tremendous pace and a great determined attitude which is what I look for in all stud dogs.”
2023 was another fabulous year for the British breeding. Among Beyonce’s main contenders were half sister Queen Jessiej (dam of dual Cat one winner Queen Joni) and the Firmager mums: Drive On Betsy (Romeo Command) Fabulous Artist (Fabulous Azurra), Fabulous Skylar (Fabulous Crusade/Cypher) and Buckos Lass (Fabulous Dyna).
Memphis, Capaldi et al as babies
Opens
Saturday: Central Park • Doncaster • Hove • Monmore
Sunday: Crayford • Sheffield • Towcester
Monday: Nottingham
