Its off to **Newcastle tonight with Newinn Yolo and Swift Hoffman. Both are having sprint trials. If all goes to plan they will have one more each before we start trialling them at Shawfield.
I was disappointed that Yolo was beaten a short head at Wimbledon in the Juvenile but thrilled at how he ran.
He was held up a little bit at the first bend but I thought his backstraight pace was fantastic.
I have no doubt he is the best dog we’ve ever had and I really wouldn’t swap him for any other runner in training.
The thing that I really like about him is his ability to battle through a field. There are lots of dogs in training, and we have a few, who are great if they lead, but nowhere near as good if they don’t get things their own way.
If he can find his way into the first three at the second bend, I would always expect him to qualify. If he gets a clear run on a warm night at Wimbledon, I am convinced he could rattle the clock.
I think he will run Shawfield well. The run-up is comparatively short but it is a great backstraight and that will suit him down to the ground.
I hope to give him at least a couple of trials around there before the competition, though there are no plans to run in trialstakes where you are increasing the risk of finding trouble.
Hoffman is due to go to Shawfield as well, plus possibly Burgess Oscar.
Ideally I would have liked trap one with Vatican Baloteli in the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby Final, but I am perfectly happy with two.
He is unbeaten in the event so far and he is drawn alongside Teejays Panther (T3) just as they were in the first round. There was a slight coming together but nothing too serious.
Although he didn’t trap that well, his pace between the second and third bend was unbelievable.
We have won the event twice previously. In 2004 we had litter sisters Dairyland Sue and Milltown Lark finish first and second. We won it again with Newinn Rocket in 2012.
This time I would just love to win it for the owner. Robert (Ferrari) is as good an owner as its possible to find. He has been incredibly loyal to the kennel and deserves any success that comes his way.
He has just bought an unraced youngster from John Saunders in Ireland. He is only an October pup, out of Vatican Marnie, who Robert bought but was injured early in her career. Fingers crossed.
I plan to pick up Farran Heaslip from vet Frances Allen following his injury in a race at Newcastle.
It was lucky for us that she was on duty when he badly damaged a monkey muscle (upper triceps) last weekend.
Frances has sewn up the hole in the muscle and done a fantastic job.
It is now just a case of giving him as much time as he needs.
We are probably looking at three months, but if six was better, then that is what he will get.
You never want injuries but given some of the other career threatening options, this one shouldn’t be too bad.
** Yolo clocked 16.99 and Swift Hoffman clocked 17.05 in their respective sprint trials.
