Belle Vue have been feeling the pinch when it comes to available runners due to widespread kennel sickness and a low entry from this week’s opens but racing manager Dave Brayshaw sees no long term problem.
He said: “There are quite a few runners off the strength at the moment and this week’s entries have almost certainly been hit by the Lol Jones Memorial meeting at Monmore. We haven’t really settled into them yet because in October we had runners preparing for the Laurels and Oaks, then we had the events themselves and then the Christmas break. But providing they generally get decent interest I plan to keep them going.”
Bev Heaton retained her Zoo champion trainer status with 381 winner, 72 more than closest rival Jill Llewellin despite having sent out 64 fewer runners.
RM Brayshaw said: “It is really down to the calibre of runner that Jill has. A decent section of her kennel strength is among the lower grades and their strike rates tend to be a lot lower.”
Five graded greyhounds finished on the 12 winner mark for the year: Ballymac Jack, Ballymac Walter, Ballymac Bossman, Great Grandad, and Woodend Elf.
