MARK WALLIS
Every Category 1 success we have ever achieved could go into a top 10 and we have now had an incredible 56 in our kennel history (13 Linda, 43 myself).
But some have a story to them as above, in 2011 we were going reasonably well though Chris Allsopp was having a season to remember, Undoubtedly the best two dogs in the kennel was a fit again Blonde Snapper and the fast but enigmatic Blonde Fletch, both were primed and targeted for the William Hill festival at Sunderland. I was on a family holiday in the heats and semi final and was delighted Patrick and my staff had done a good job getting them through to the final.
I returned to the kennel as Patrick and Cheryl took their family holiday while also my physio Ron Mills was away so I was right in the thick of things. We were busy with other open race action and graded cards that week, by the time the final came around on the Thursday I was physically tired but as I had to go to the finals anyway.
I never try and miss a Category 1 final, and decided to go on my own. I think we had trials at Yarmouth and racing at Hove as well that day, I fed early and left the kennels probably an hour later than I should and zoomed up the A14 and A1. As I got to Newark my eyes were struggling to stay open and I pulled over to the services to let the dogs out and grab a coffee, I parked under some trees and left the side doors open as it was a rare boiling hot day and the dogs seemed settled so I thought I would just have a power nap.
You can guess the rest, I woke up an hour and half later at around 5 pm. Shit! I thought I’ve still got another 2 1/2 hours to drive and that’s if the traffic is not busy! Kennelling was at 5.30-6pm, I drove as quick as I dare and at 6 o clock rang the track after consulting my black book of excuses for being late, Lol!!! They were fine and obviously with two runners in the finals reminded me that they had to be at the track an hour before their intended races.
I arrived around 7.30 as the first race was just going off and kennelled the dogs no problem. The Grand Prix was at 9.30 and Blonde Fletch won the £15,000 event nicely and I quickly put him away after the presentation and got Blonde Snapper out for the £25,000 Classic. A couple of months earlier he had been knocked out the Derby in the first round when virtually ante post favourite with his wrist flaring up again. We had done a marvelous job keeping him reasonably sound for this competition especially as Sunderland was a tight track with sharp bends. But Snapper loved it there and in a class final he blew his rivals away to win the final easy in a track record 26.59 which still stands today.
What a brilliant 20 minutes or so for us and owner Mark Currell and who knows maybe the unexpected chill out had done us all the world of good!
Mark with Blonde Snapper
PAT ROSNEY
But it isn’t just about the money, it’s lovely to watch dogs who you have watched grow up, come through and win races.
Perhaps the highlight was the 2010 Swindon Produce Stakes when we had the first-second-fourth with Micky Robbie, Cotswold Flash and Vatican Seamus. Then in 2014 we landed the race again with Take the Crown, who went through the event unbeaten, brilliant! It really is a fantastic sense of achievement to see your progeny succeed at the highest level.
MICKY ROBBIE and Julie – pic Steve Nash
GRAHAM HOLLAND
Winning our first major final in Ireland, the 2009 Laurels, with Sevenheads Bay was a day I will never forget and it was the race that put us on the map in Ireland. It was the presentation that I remember so well. The dog’s owner, John O’Regan, is an absolute gentleman and I think every man woman and child who lives in Seven Heads came to support him. The roar that went up when the dog hit the front was enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I thought we were going to be stampeded at the presentation. I have never witnessed one like it before or since. You can see it all on Youtube.
