Sunderland trainer Jill Sutherst and partner Glenn Lynas have changed their minds about leaving the industry and will continue training and breeding.
Jill said: “We never really wanted to leave but we just couldn’t make it pay. But looking at the packages that all the Sunderland trainers have been offered, why wouldn’t we want to stay?
“For a long time there didn’t seem to be any investment in the place and now it is exactly the opposite. There has been new lighting installed, a new hare mechanism and just a new atmosphere about the place. And we know that there is a decent prize money increase due shortly.
“We had run our kennel strength down to about eight runners, but have another two due in and a few more that have been off with small injuries but will now race again.
“We also have around 15 pups ready to qualify including nine from Whitton Derecho’s first litter (by Laughil Blake). They are beautiful pups and all flew on their first time behind the drag hare. We have no idea what we would have done with them if we’d given it up.
“We also have a couple by Top Honcho out of Samiya of similar age plus some young Irish pups and another couple that Glenn liked the look of. So going forward the strength should build quite quickly and a lot of them will be younger dogs.”
