The RPGTV studios need not bother checking for a Christmas card from Julie Bateson or Kenny Glen after their youngster Tasty Treat dominated the opening round of the Alconex Northern Puppy Derby at Newcastle.
The 32 kilo black made it three wins from five UK races with a flawless 28.76 nine length win on going rated .20 slow. Next quickest was the host track’s number one youngster Levante Beach with a 28.85 (-10) run.
Levante Beach’s potential was well known before the competition got under way. But so was Tasty Treat’s. A winner of his only race at Dundalk in a stunning 21.15 (400), he had actually finished in front of Angela Harrison’s runner on the three occasions that they had met. Yet the studio pundits were all keen to lay the Bateson runner.
Julie said: “Kenny was particularly irritated that the pup was being so easily dismissed. You do find yourself asking, ‘what else does he have to do to impress them?‘
“Taking nothing away from Levante Beach who was rightly talked about, but Treat has not put a foot wrong. He won a heat of a puppy competition at Newcastle (beating Levante Beach) but had to be withdrawn from the final with a slight niggle. He then won well again at Monmore, and I thought was a little unlucky in the Trafalgar Cup Final.
“I am not saying for one second that we would have beaten the winner, because he may not have stayed. But Treat was hampered on the run up and still almost got clear at the first bend. My only reservation on Thursday night was due to the change of traps which are different to Monmore. I do think he was a bit rusty and his sectional was a little slower than before, but hopefully he will progress next time out.”
Hugely successful in whippet racing and on the independent circuit long before taking out her GBGB licence, the Lancaster based handler is no stranger to fast greyhounds (Kylegrove Top, Meenala Cruiser, Ardkill Tunoco etc etc).
However she says: “I am very excited about him. I love dogs with good early pace and he certainly has it. He may be tying up a little bit in the latter stages. But when he is older, by next summer, I don’t think it will be an issue.”
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