Rab McNair reports both King Turbo and King Elvis are none the worse for their shock eliminations in the BGBF British Bred Derby at Sheffield on Tuesday night.
The 1-4 and 4-9 favourites both finished last with Turbo being buffeted throughout before being KO’d at the third bend.
Rab said: “It was a night to forget, but these things happen in dog racing. I was pleased to see King Turbo come galloping to the drop at the end of the race. He has been out this morning and running around the paddock. I will get him checked over but I would be fairly confident that there is nothing wrong.
“I still intend to run him in the Olympic but need to talk to Hove about whether he needs a trial or not because there is barely any time. Elvis is fine too. There isn’t really anything else left for him this year. I may run him again if there is a suitable race on Puppy Derby Final night. If not, he could stay on the bed.
“Looking ahead with the pups I have here, would I think about Sheffield for next year? The answer is probably not. That is no disrespect to Sheffield but it doesn’t seem to suit the sort of dogs I have at the moment. They are long straight and backstraight dogs and Sheffield is all bends.
“But I am not complaining. We have had another brilliant year with a small kennel and dogs we have bred themselves. If five years ago someone had said we would achieve what we have achieved, I would have said they were mad. There is always another day.”
The sheer context of the results can be gauged by the tricasts of the two semi finals.
The first semi paid out a chart tricast of £599.91 as 8-1 chance Geelo Monty came from last place to overtake the Jim Hayton trained pair in 29.00 (+10) – some 12 spots quicker than his win in the 2017 BGBF Puppy Cup over the same course and distance. The demise of the 1-4f at the third bend appeared to have been missed by the commentator.
The second semi chart tricast was even bigger – £674.73 as complete outsider Lostrigg Zeus clocked 29.20 when beating puppy Sharpys Rocket. Down To The Felt became one only non-Yorkie bred to make the decider.
